Tales of a Thief King
by Ka Tokubi
Summary: The latest chapter was a faliure I couldn't even finish it...This is a bunch of stories centering around Thief Bakura, Ryou, and a bunch of OC thieves that I've made up in my version of the YuGiOh anciant Egypt. It's fun, read.
1. Default Chapter

**__**

Tales of a thief king

Notes:

All of these stories... at least most of them are created entirely by me. Maadrath, Beneset, Houresus, Nephertys, Hequeth, Sebnekt, Sashi, Karia, Isrosis, and Little lotus are charactors made by me. These stories virtually will never end until I tire of writing them. The POV is usually Nahkti. Occasionally it is Ryoo or Maadrath. Nahkti in this story isn't quite as vicious as in the manga. This shows him more as a hotheaded boy, as well as a very human man. He's not a super villain anymore than what his sinful nature really wants him to be.

I put Ryoo in this story since he's my fave character. He's only somewhere around 11 and 13 here. Not as old as in the show. If you look carefully, you can sort of see which stories are in order, though. Nahkti gets more and more mature as he gets older. Less crazy. Because of this, the first few stories Nahkti acts like an idiot but I'm not really that bad of a writer.

These stories aren't necessarily in order. The first three are in sequence, though. They're almost like a prologue. The ones after are the actual long stories.

Oh, yeah, and Nahkti is Yami Bakura's rumored Egyptian name.

These stories aren't particularly well written because they're just short stories I make up quickly, but they're fun.

Nahkti and the thieves are constantly running back and forth from Kuru Eruna and Memphis for some reason. It gets a little tiring but I try not to make to stories too repetitive.

Notes about Egypt:

Ancient Egyptians marry pretty young. That's why Atemu is 16 in this story but he's married.

Tomb robbing is bad because if you take the stuff in the tombs, it makes the ba's of the people who have the stuff in their tomb poor in the next world. If you destroy the mummy it's even worse! That means you would kill that person's ba and that's a horrible thing.

Ancient Egyptians 'marry' foreign princesses and stuff to seal treaties. It is a common occurrence.

Egyptian royalty tend to marry their close relatives to 'keep the royal blood pure' (okay, this has nothing to do with this story. It's just a weird fact)

Notes about names:

Nahkti sounds like Nahkti, the Egyptian word for strong

After much research, I have come to believe that the Pharaoh's true name, Atemu (Go to for info) comes from the name of the Egyptian god of the rising sun. His name can be spelled Atem, Atmu, and Tem. He is represented by a lotus flower or a man with a lion head and mummy body.

Egyptian volcab

Aye-yes

Shari-little one (affectionate)

Ba-Egyptian's soul

Ka-Egyptian's mind

Akh-light of life (erm, something like that)

Min-sher-Kitten or name for a young boy (I heard this somewhere. It must be confirmed)

Kheft-evil spirit

Maat-Egyptian goddess of truth / embodiment of truth

Se-man

Set-woman (don't ask)

Osiris-Egyptian god of the dead and represented by the Pharaoh in death

Isis-Egyptian Queen mother goddess represented by the queen

Horus/Heru-The rightful Pharaoh in the Egyptian's most sacred myth. The son of Osiris; represented by the Pharaoh in life.

Bast-cat goddess of sun beams

Wadjet-life/strength giving snake goddess

Nut-Mother of all gods and goddess of the sky mother of Heru

Geb-god of earth husband of Nut

(I'll add more if I learn or need more)

Index:

Story 1. Icy fire

Story 2.The thieves

Story 3.Ryoo

Story 4.Forbidden Romance

(read the full version in Pharonic Romance)

Story 5. It takes a thief to catch a thief

Story 6. Loyalty

Story7. The crisis of the mismatched slaves

Story 8. At War with the Hittites

Story 9.Choices

Story 10. Pharaoh to the rescue


	2. icy fire

Tale 1. Icy fire

Once I had established myself as a 'professional thief', that's what I called myself... what!? It sounds cool, I discovered on many of my missions, I'd need a partner. Lots of plans couldn't be pulled of on my own... mmm, gold... okay, yeah, that was one of the problem, I'd have to pay that person so they'd better be someone who did a good job. I would have to keep an eye out.

One evening, I was at my favorite tavern, drinking beer. I noticed a new dancing girl. She was beautiful, really beautiful…hot ... maybe I could 'get' her at the end of the night. She danced with grace like I'd never seen before. Soon, I was so entranced that I totally forgot the cup of beer in my hand. She bent and twisted like fluid, tumbling and somersaulting. Just then, I noticed a man sneaking toward her. Being an observant thief I would notice this kind of thing. He obviously had it for her... bad. He was sneaking up on her when. "Watch out!" I yelled, knocking over my cup. She whirled around... And did something I rarely ever saw a woman do. She attacked him. She was so quick and agile and with her training for dance she eluded him and eluded him and struck where it would do the most damage. What a wonderful fighter! Soon she had him begging on his knees like a little child.

"Hey!" Shouted the innkeeper, "You're supposed to entertain the guests, not kill them! Get out!"

The dancing girl gritted her teeth and stalked proudly out of the tavern, ignoring whistles and catcalls. I followed her out and snuck after her for a few blocks. Then, she suddenly swung around, kicking me in the jaw.

"Aagh!" I shouted, grabbing my mouth, "You knew I was here!?" I was amazed.

"Puh! Duh, idiot," She said. "Besides, what do you want? To have your way with me like that guy at the inn? All you men do."

"N-no!" I stuttered, trying to stop the bleeding on my lip. Who did she think she was anyway? "I was the one who saved you back there. You could at least listen to me." I smiled, "Or do I have to make you." I felt around my belt for me knife.

She sighed, "You? _Helped_ me? I could have taken him without you. _You _merely distracted me." She acted like I was oh, such the annoying little boy. It ticked me off... "Alright, alright... tell me," she said, putting her weight on one hip.

"Well, if you'd seen my wanted posters," I said proudly.

She blew her lips, "Getting bored here!"

"I'm the thief Nahkti and I want you to join me," I blurted out at the annoying girl.

"You?" She laughed, "I'd never have guessed and now that I've seen you, I don't know. I always wanted to meet you but right now you seem just like some idiotic jerk. Just like... Well, like, a man!"

"Well, well!" I spluttered, "What did you expect? You are a rude girl and I think I would let you join me if you begged me." And with that I started to walk away but she had me by my cloak.

"Oh, I'm not going to beg you," She replied, "but I think you do need my help..."

"Me? Need you? Not in 3000 years!" shot back.

"I'll make a deal with you..."

"You? What makes you in the position..."

"uhuhuh... Didn't your mommy ever tell you not to interrupt people? If I can beat you in a fight, I'm coming with you. If you beat me, You can do whatever you like with me. Fair?"

It sounded good and besides there was no way she could beat me. I threw off my cloak and head cloth and got in fighting stance.

The fight was over so fast that I didn't even know what happened but she had me down and was about to break my neck. Her skinny arms were also sinewy and strong.

"Give up? Thief-Nahkti," She asked.

I gritted my teeth. I had just been beaten by a woman. A skinny little girl! "Okay..." I muttered.

"What I can't hear you?" She teased and pulled my hair.

"Augh! Alright, I give up," I shouted.

"That's better," She replied... snake of a woman... by Set! She let me up and I sat up, trying to recover. She laughed mockingly. I swear I'd get that witch!

"Now, would you let me join you... no wait, I don't think you have a choice." Isis! And manipulative too.

I staggered up and leaned against a wall. "You win!" I said grinning. I couldn't let her know she had really beaten me. "Well come on!" I picked up my stuff and walked away.

She laughed as she followed me. Hmph!

Many months later...

We were sitting next to a campfire somewhere in the desert and that was when Maadrath revealed her feminine side to me.

"Um, Nahkti," She said, reaching an arm around my neck and twisting a lock of my hair around. I tensed. She always did this to me, playing around and playing around and then suddenly jerking my hair, pulling a quarter handful with it... but nothing happened. "I'm sorry about what I did to you that day we met..."

"Did?" I asked, "You know I just went easy on you!"  
She laughed. "Want another go? You know I'd beat you just as easily!"

"Uh, never mind."

"Thought so. Y'know, when I was a little girl, I always wanted to meet you. I was orphaned when I was young. It was during a bad crop. After paying the tax my parents didn't have enough to eat. They died saving me. After that I lived off of the neighbors kindness but when tax time came again... I didn't know what to do. I ran off and learned to be tough here on the streets as an orphan. When I learned about you from rumors and news I eventually leaned you story.

I thought you were just like me, but when I met you, you weren't and I guess I was just acting out of my disappointment."

"That's alright," I said. "You wouldn't have beat me anyway if I hadn't let my guard down."

"You proud hard head!" She laughed and smacked me but she was being nice and a nice Maadrath was something I had never experienced before. "Ahh..." She laid her head on my shoulder.

Some weeks later...

We were back to back against a group of angry gaurds.

"What do we do now? Idiot," Maadrath asked.

"Idiot? It was just as much your plan as mine!"

"Arg!"

"Pst, wait for my signal, and then just fight crazy!" I whispered.

"You mean... without style?"

"Yep."

"You're such a boy."

The guards jumped us.

"NOW!!!"

We just punched and kicked randomly, soon we were out of the room, loot still intact and confused guards staring at each other confusedly.

Suddenly, "Stop!" It was the captain of the gaurds.

"I'll take care of this!" I said, spitting on my palms and rubbing them together.

"No, get outta here!" Maadrath said, "it's our only chance! That guy could get a whole bunch of guards in here instantly." Maadrath walked up to him.

"You wouldn't hurt a helpless woman would you?" She said in her sweetest sweet little girl voice. She stressed the word helpless. The captain of the guard broke out in sweat. Few men could resist Maadrath's charm. I snuck out the window as she circled him and whispered little nothings into his ears. When I knew it was safe, I whistled to her.

"Sorry, I couldn't stay," I heard, "But my partner calls!" And she jumped out of the window, soft cloth shoes barely making a sound as she hit ground.

These were all shades of Maadrath. The cruel, the female and the seductive fighter. She was the perfect thief and when I had finally earned the title 'king of thieves' I named her 'queen of thieves'. She deserved it. We never did make love, though, and I never did beat her in a fight.


	3. The thieves

Tale 2. The thieves

It was Maadrath's idea. She said we should have a team. We'd be unbeatable, then! She'd said. The next to enter our group was a promising young solidier, named Beneset, who was not content with his pay. He just happened to be _very_ promising. In fact, we made him one of the top people. He was in love with Maadrath... okay yeah, so all men were but he really liked her, not just for her looks. He admired her to... even though she was much older than him.

"I could practically be your mother!" she had shouted when he had offered to take her to dinner. I think Maadrath really likes him as well, though.

The next was Karia. A young dancing girl that Maadrath had met and taken care of when she had a broken ankle. Her boss had wanted her to go out there and and dance anyway since she was the best but Maadrath had stood up for her... which got them both fired by the way, but hey! They quickly got another job later when Karia's ankle healed. They had gotten separated when Karia had found a person she liked and stayed there to entertain his guests. Maadrath was a different matter though. It didn't matter to her whether her boss was kind or mean. She couldn't stay in one place for long unless there was a good, and not to mention exciting, reason.

We had found Karia because her boss had lost his business and she was wandering the streets again. She took to us quickly and loyaly followed Maadrath around as if Maadrath was her older sister... but in some ways she had been: Teaching Karia the tricks of the trade... Helping heal her ankle it all added up.

The fifth was Houresus, a young man whose story was similar to Maadrath's and mine. He had amazing vision and also rivaled Beneset at archery.

There were five more.

Hequeth who was quiet, mysterious and the perfect spying or sneeking.

Next was Sashi who knew how to write. He and Karia often used their trades to be spies as well.

The seventh was Nephertys. She had grown up in the desert. She ran like a gazelle and could fight anything... she had three scars on her right shoulder from a tiger scratch to prove it.

Sebnekt was a hulk of a man we met. He ate like anything but he could also wrestle like anything too.

Last of all, we met Isrosis. I'm not even sure she was Egyptian! We saw her in a Persian magic show. She was actually a slave though, with a cruel owner. She was a master at trickery and I'd swear that half of it was dark magic. She escaped that day and begged Maadrath to alow her to join us. This really ticked me off since I was the real leader. She was a wonderful addition to our group, though.

One day we were raiding the storage buildings of some rich and politically powerful guy. Maadrath, Beneset and I were fighting off the guards and their hounds while the other thievs got away with as much loot as possible.

"Arg!!" I yelled as a hound bit into my arm. Maadrath slammed it with a piece of wood and it let go, whimpering. "We gotta get outta here now!" I yelled at her.

A fresh group of guards were running toward us. Sebnekt stood in front of us. "Get away! Isrosis and I will hold them off!"

We ran for it. I kept looking back. Just when it looked like the guards had them outnumbered, Isrosis twirled around and she and Sebnekt were gone in a puff of smoke. They reappeared next to me.

"Nice!" I complimented.


	4. Ryoo

Tale 3. Ryoo

The boy's white-haired head nudged against my arm as he slept. Ryoo…

I was walking along when suddenly I tripped. I turned around and there was a body in the middle of the road. The body of a little boy. Was he dead? He sat up... so he wasn't. "Huh?" he asked.

"What exactly are you doing just lying there, guttersnipe?" I asked, "Your going to get killed."

"I-I'm sorry," he said and tried to stand but couldn't and fell as soon as he got up.

I wasn't exactly in a good mood that night so I decided to put him out of his misery. I pulled out a knife.

The boy screamed. I raised the knife, but at that moment for a split second our eyes met and I saw something familiar in them. I dropped the knife. "No.." I whispered. It looked impossible but I saw my own eyes in his face. In fact, more than his eyes were like me. His built, his mane of messy silver hair... He looked just like I did the day my village was destroyed.

He was Ryoo, an orphan. That day I had taken him back with me after I had given him something to eat and wear. I couldn't say I treated him like my son. Far be from it! I did treat him different than the other thieves, though. I treated him like a slave… but not some slave one just kicked around. I treated him like a favored one like my pet. Maadrath looked down on my showing affection to someone worthless. He wasn't perfectly worthless though… Because, in exchange for my taking care of him, he promised he would protect me. If something ever happened and we couldn't get away. He would let me get away while the guards chased him. He could do that because of our similar appearances. I wasn't too worried, though, he had the things about him that were different than me as well. As soon as the guards caught up to him and realized he was just some boy, they probably wouldn't kill him.

Some other day, some other time Maadrath's POV

"Maadrath-san!" Ryoo tugged at my belt.

"Huh?" I turned around. Oh, Nahkti's little brat! "What do you want Ryoo?"

"Well, since you guys are making another new plan, maybe I could help!"

"You help? You're just a kid!" I said. "Go bug Nahkti!"

"But he's planning too! Can I just watch?"

"Fine, whatever, but don't get in the way," I mumbled and kept on walking.

The other thieves were working on a plan to get into a building.

"Hmm…" Ryoo said. "How 'bout this? I could slip in and let you guys in!"

"I told you to not get in the way!" I growled at Ryoo.

"No! He's got a point!" Nahkti replied, "Since he's little and skinny, he could easily slip in through that hole there instead of us having to destroy more of the wall."

Ryoo smiled triumphantly and I glared at him. Ever since the twerp came Nahkti had given him more attention than me. I was the one who deserved it more! Nahkti's childishness was going to get him in trouble someday. Living with him, I not only discovered he acted like a man, he acted like some little boy at times too. He'd probably be dead by now without me. We went around flashing his jewelry and powers. I'm surprised the palace guards haven't caught him yet.

Nahkti Normal POV

We reached the noble's home. I wondered what was up with Maadrath. Ryoo's plan was perfectly good! I heard a thunking.

"Maadrath! What are you doing?" I asked, "I thought we were going to have Ryoo get in!"

"Huh?" She asked, faking confusion, "That's right."

Just then I heard barking. "Set take you! Maadrath!"

"Ryoo, hurry!"

Ryoo ducked into the hole and quickly let the others in.

"Maadrath, what's wrong with you?" I asked, irritated, "You just gave us away!"

"Feh! I just couldn't trust that little brat!"

We ducked just as a spear shot over our heads. We started running.

"Are you jealous of Ryoo?" I asked. Was that it?

"Yeah, finally got it through that dense head of yours!"

I stopped. "Maadrath, why? I still care about you but… it like this. You're the one I talk about the serious stuff with and Ryoo's my stress-reliever. You can't be jealous of him!"

"You don't understand us women. If you neglect me I feel it deep. I thought you favored him over me!"

"Never, Maadrath! You are my queen; my right hand! But I'm warning you! Do something foolish like that again and your in trouble!"

"Oh, alright!" She muttered and we scattered.

Back at the hideout things weren't so good. The attack had been unprepared for and many of the thieves were wounded. Maadrath was tending to Karia.

"Nahkti-sama…" Ryoo whispered behind me.

"Hm?"

"I'm sorry I screwed up. It's my fault Maadrath's so mad. She thinks you don't like her anymore."

"Yes, Ryoo-chan, I know. She told me. Don't worry, she knows I still like her."

Ryoo smiled.

Later Ryoo POV

"Maadrath-sama?" I asked. Pushing the door to the 5th abandoned hut I'd tried. Maadrath was there.

"What do you want, Nahkti's," She muttered.

"It's okay, Nahkti forgives you!" I told her, "He still likes you! Here," I handed her a wristband I had pulled off a guard. "Take this, queen of thieves!"

She smiled wryly at me: a thank for the gift. "You've got spunk, brat, a little too much. Now go be a good boy and keep Nahkti happy! He'll need it!"


	5. Forbidden Romance

Tale 4. Forbidden Romance

This is actually a excerpt of a fanfic I was writing before but after a while the story line was so far away from what actually happened in the ancient Egypt arc that I quit. I didn't really know how it went when I first started writing.

The story explains why both Nahkti and Seto had tried to beat Atemu without my really knowing why. Both have to do with lost love and the whole story is drenched in romance, that's why it was called Pharonic romance. This is Nahkti's part of the story. If I had continued writing, he would have been trying to get revenge for Kuru Eruna and his lover who is OC in this story.

This was such a wonderfully written piece that I had to save it in the tales of a thief king.

Normal Nahkti POV

One day, I decided to take a little trip to the capitol, Memphis. I wasn't sure what it was but anything having to do with that sounded exciting and I was bored. I removed all my jewelry (the jewelry Maadrath keeps telling me will get me in trouble), and covered my face with a cloth.

It was after noon and I was walking down the side of the Nile, when I spied a girl. She was beautiful…mm, not beautiful, pretty and something drew me toward her.

"Hello, pretty flower!" I smiled.

She yelped. "Oh, sorry sir," she amended.

"It's alright," I said, trying to calm her down, "Did I startle you?"

She stared at me intently. I examined her. She was wearing clothes of fine cloth and elaborate jewelry. Oh! I saw the symbol of the king on one of her bracelets. She must be one of the queens maidservants! I could be in real trouble! But hey, I was a real sucker for pretty girls.

"What are you doing here alone?" I asked. I decided not to reveal what I thought she was and see if I could get it out of her so it wouldn't be too awkward. "Aren't you some nobleman's wife or royal servant or something? Shouldn't you run home before you get in trouble with you master or mistress?"

"Oh, I'm the Que…" She started. I knew what she was going to say but she stopped. "My mistress doesn't mind. I asked her this morning."

"Egypt's streets are full of thieves, pickpockets and murderers, in case you didn't know. They could hurt such a delicate little treasure like you!" And she was a beautiful treasure! Not like the feeling I had for Maadrath, different. I think… I think it wasn't lust… it was… love. I was head over heals in love with the Queen's maidservant. I was out of my mind! "Could I…" I began.

She giggled. "Sure! You can 'stay and protect me' from the 'thieves, pickpockets, and murderers'," She laughed.

I sat down next to her. She looked so perfect to me. Her long silky brown hair tumbling down her shoulders. Her eyes… "Does you master ever beat you?" I asked. I wondered if the Pharaoh treated his personal servants as badly as he did his people.

"Of course not!" She exclaimed, much to my surprise. "I hardly ever see him, though. I attend his wife."

"Hmm," I thought. I was dumb to think she knew these kind of things. She was probably just Queen Teanna's little pet or something. "How did you come to be in their service?" I asked.

"My master, or rather one of his servants, bought me at a market. My mistress took a liking to me and made me one of her personal slaves. I'm her favorite."

I smiled lightly under the cloth. The Queen's favorite slave… I could just imagine it! What was I doing, falling in love with some pampered palace girl but still her eyes, her huge honey colored eyes. I just couldn't look away. She couldn't just be some mindless servant. I had to know who she really was!

"Where did the people who sold you get you from? You must have a home!" Maybe I could help her get back to relieve the wrongs done to her.

She stared at me for a second as if wondering if I was crazy then shrugged and said, "Well, I don't really remember much. I was only seven or eight summers when I was captured. I lived in the desert. I think I was a Bedouin or something. I remember that some bad people came and captured my and killed my mother and father…"

Poor girl. Me too.

"… They were from and enemy tribe, I think. I believe my real name is Moon gazelle, but everyone here calls me Little Lotus."

"What a beautiful name," I replied dreamily. Moon Gazelle…

"They sold me to an Egyptian nobleman. He then sold me to my current master."

"Was _he_ kind to you as well?" I asked, wondering.

"Well, not so much as my mistress is now, but he was fair."

I snuggled closer. The pain of the memories of Kuru Eruna made my eyebrows furrow. "The rich can be very inconsiderate of the poor, can't they?" I asked. Actually it was more a statement.

She stared at my face strangely again. "No, I don't think that all rich people are mean," She said finally.

"Most are though. You are very fortunate to have such a sheltering mistress," I replied. It was true. I knew how the Queen was. She was very gentle and kind but also stood up for what she believed in. That was why Pharaoh Atemu loved her so much. "My family was killed by a cruel ruler. He thought nothing of us."

"I-I'm sure he had a reason," She replied. Yeah, right, to make a group of evil pieces of gold that was their reason.

"Thanks for cheering me up!" She said, suddenly and gave me an affectionate hug.

Waves of love and passion swept over me. I started to blush. Our bodies were so close together. "Maybe, you just needed someone to love you," I replied, uncovering my face. I knew it was dangerous but I just had to kiss her. "Little Lotus," I whispered. Her name flowed like fresh wine. I kissed her lightly on the forehead and stroked that soft brown hair.

"Little Lotus!" A woman's voice rang out. Queen Teanna.

"I must go, my mistress is calling me!" She said, tearing away from me. "Tell me your name so I can find you again.

"Nahkti," I replied as I stood up then quickly realized my mistake.

"I'll try and find you again, Nahkti," She replied. She must have realized who I was because she screamed. I swear! They could have heard her in Ethiopia.

"You bitch! How could you!" I yelled idiotically at her. I saw some Medjai police heading toward me. They had probably heard her scream and came to investigate. I moaned and took off.

I had no idea what had drawn me to that girl. She was so beautiful, her light brown hair so soft. And she betrayed me. It was just like a girl to scream like that when startled. The Medjai police were on me like hounds on a gazelle. I ducked into an alley. A dead-end.

I moaned. Just then I heard a voice on the other side. Maadrath. "Hurry up you idiot!" She tossed a rope to the other side of the wall.

"Hey! When do you have right do you have to call the king of thieves an idiot?" I asked her.

"When he doesn't watch his back because of some girl with pretty eyes," She shot back.

"Who was that girl anyway?" Maadrath asked after I had climbed over.

"Well, she was trying to keep it from me but I'm pretty sure she's one of the queen's handmaidens. I mean, who doesn't know the queens voice much less me!" I replied.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Right! I don't think the queen's handmaiden would be naïve enough to let the king of thieves touch her like that," Maadrath replied.

"She had no idea who I was until I told her," I explained. Maadrath could be very difficult at times.

"Well, next time you make out with one of the royal servants. Watch out. You _are_ the most wanted man in Egypt," She practically scolded me. "You should be ashamed that a _woman_ had to save your butt."

"A very talented woman," I complimented needlessly. She knew I was mad at her. And she knew I admired her.

"Come on, run faster. We have to get away or we're done for."

That night, I was unhappy. I wondered why. As I slept, I realized I missed Little Lotus. She was only a pampered palace servant! I scolded myself. But the harder I tried to forget, the longer I wished for Little Lotus' soft brown hair and wide honey-colored eyes. No wonder I had lost myself! The next morning, I formed a plan to see her again.

The next evening…

I just had to see her again and when I wanted my way, I got it. I went to the palace and bribed the guard with a hefty sum to let me in and tell me which window was Little Lotus'. The Pharaoh needed more loyal guards. I threw some stones at the windowsill. Little Lotus looked out. She was holding a hairbrush.

"Who's there?" She asked.

"Me!" I yelled up, "And for Set's sake, girl, don't scream again! You scared the wits out of me and I was almost captured as well!"

"Be quiet!" She yelled back down. Yeah, yeah, be quiet yourself, I thought. "How are you going to get up here? We can't yell all night!"

"Don't you think I came prepared?" I threw a rope up. The hook on it caught on the windowsill. "Will it hold?" I asked.

"Yes!" She yelled down.

I climbed up.

"Oh, Nahkti! What are you doing here? If anyone finds you then you will be in big trouble! I've seen what they do to tomb robbers and it's not pretty!" She whispered loudly at me.

"Yeah! And screaming when I told you who I was wasn't dangerous?" I replied dryly.

"It's just, just!" She said, wrapping her thin arms around me, "I love you!" She said. "Oh, I'm sorry about that," She quickly amended. "I'm sure the King of Thieves want nothing to do with a place servant."

"Naw, I love you too," I said, hugging her back, "Little fool, why do you think I gave the guard so much money to tell me where you were and just risked my life to see you? Huh? Huh?" I said.

"I, just, I couldn't stop thinking about you," She said.

"Neither could I. That's why I came to see you. That way my heart will stop over-beating. Will we be left alone here?" I asked.

"It's past hours. No one will come into my room, but promise me if someone does, no one will get hurt," She said.

"If?" I asked.

"I'm pretty sure no one will come," she assured.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you either, my beautiful Moon Gazelle," I said, stroking her long, soft, light brown hair.

"Just call me Little Lotus," She whispered in my ear.

"What will we do with ourselves?" I asked, "what will we do?"

"I know, you can't stay here forever and I can't go with you," She replied.

"Who said you couldn't come with me?" I asked suddenly, stepping back. "You could come join me and the other thieves!"

"That would be disloyal to my mistress and my master though!" I said.

"And talking with me in secret; in the middle of the night isn't?" I asked.

"Nahkti, I couldn't leave, it'd be, be… treason!" She protested.

"But I'm a traitor," I replied.

"You snake," She insulted fondly.

Suddenly, the door burst open. "You said no one would disturb us!" I whispered at her.

"Well I certainly didn't expect this!" She whispered back.

"Stop!" Yelled the queen. A few guards backed her.

Pfft! I thought. Like those pathetic guards could do anything to me! "Die!" I yelled at them as I charged. As I was about to draw my sword, Little Lotus threw herself against me.

"No!" She yelled at me and pounded at my chest. She did little more than a butterfly, but I didn't want to hurt the pretty thing's feelings.

"What?" I whispered at her.

"You said no one would get hurt!" She whispered back, fiercely.

"You got off lucky this time," I said putting an arm around Little Lotus, "But you will all die the next time you see me!" I said, and jumped out the window.

I covered Little Lotus's mouth as she screamed. I caught a windowsill and then dropped to the ground. I jerked the roped down and ran.

"Wait!" She yelled, "Where are you taking me?"

"You little idiot!" I replied, "What do you think? If they find you, they'll charge you for treason! The queen saw fair well what we were doing! I'm saving you from execution. Now hurry!"

We ran as fast as we could. At the edge of the town, Little Lotus collapsed.

"Weakling," I muttered under my breath. I picked up Little Lotus and slung her over my shoulder and kept running. Soon she was asleep.

I kept running for a long time. I stopped sometime at midmorning and found a cave to rest. I took a long nap. I woke due to Little Lotus shaking me.

"W-where are we Nahkti?" She asked, with a confused look on her pretty face.

"H-hmm?" I asked her, "Look around. Where do you think we are, idiot?"

She practically had a fit. "What? You brought me to the desert? So is this where the King of Thieves hides? It can't be here!"

"Pfft! Yeesh! You really think I live here do you, girl? Well, for your information, and you'd better not give it away to just anyone, my hideout is in my abandoned hometown of Kuru Eruna and that is where we're headed right now."

"But, but! Nahkti! I told you, I can't go anywhere with you!" She started to sob.

I was really getting fed up with her. "Fine!" I exclaimed, "I'll send you gift-wrapped back to the palace so they can kill you. Is that what you want? Huh? Huh?" She tried to stop crying and I grabbed her. "Come on! We've got to keep moving!"

Sometime around noon, she complained of being thirsty.

"Why do I even bother?" She had to figure out what was going on! She wasn't in a palace anymore. We stopped at another cave. I brought her to the back of it and told her to dig. There was plenty of water underground. Let her work for it if she wanted it so bad!

She stared at me confusedly but started digging anyway. She was soon tired. Augh! She was so slow that I was getting thirsty myself.

"Hurry up! Dig faster! I thought you were thirsty!" I shouted but pulled her aside and started digging myself anyway. My large hands and strong arms dug much faster and soon water began to pool at the bottom of the hole. I drank some and wiped my mouth. Then I went to the front of the cave and laid down.

I watched as Little Lotus drank some of the water. She tasted it… but to my surprise she spat it out. Ungrateful wench! What did she want? Fine wine? I raised an eyebrow at her.

She looked apologetic and turned around and drank some of it. She didn't spit it out this time but she made it look like she was drinking garbage.

"_Now_ can we move?" I asked.

"Mhm!" She replied.

"Good, then let's keep moving."

We kept the pace up for several days. Dragging Little Lotus across the Egyptian desert was hopeless. She whimpered and cried and said she was thirsty. She didn't appreciate anything and moaned about how she wished she could go back to the palace.

I nearly lost my love for her but at night my passion all came back. She would snuggle me and wrap her arms around my body and let me kiss her. She felt so small and so delicate but she was adjusting. She could walk farther than before and even her smooth white skin was browning. If only she would give up her stupid loyalty she could be useful parts of my plans.

But on the fifth day she complained more than usual but we were almost to Kuru Erua. She couldn't give up now. But when we were in the caves at noon she fell asleep. When I went over to wake her up I felt her skin and she was hot, burning hot. I jerked away. She was sick with a fever. Perhaps I had pushed her too hard or something. I didn't know what to do. I got some water and pulled a strip off the bottom of my robe and soaked it in it. I put the wet cloth on her forehead and decided to rest there until night. I re-soaked the cloth every half-hour but her fever didn't die much. When it was night I decided to carry her outside.

"N-Nahkti?" She asked, her eyes fluttering open. "Do we have to keep going now?"

"Sh-shh," I said and put a finger on her lips. "You're sick and we are outside. Does the night air make you feel any better?"

"Are we close to Kuru Eruna?"

"We are close. We'll be there soon. Would it make you feel any better if we kept moving?"

"Yes, actually it would."

"Alright, alright." I picked her up and carried her. She soon fell asleep again. We traveled all-night and stopped at another cave in the morning.

Around noon she woke up again. "D-do you have anything to eat?" She asked me. I gritted my teeth. Our food supply had worn out long ago. I hadn't planned this and there had only been a couple small loves in my robe with me. I stepped outside. Nothing. How could anything live here… except a hunted animal, a thief on the run? Me, an exile.

"I'm sorry, I don't have any food." I put an arm around her and lift her toward me. I was a fool. Little Lotus had been right. She couldn't go with me. She was hotter than the day before and getting hotter by the hour. She was burning up and I couldn't do a thing about it. "I-I'm sorry… so sorry for bringing you here."

Suddenly I felt a nudge against my chin and lips. Little Lotus was kissing me! She had never done it on her own I always started. "I love you," she said.

"Oh I love you… I love you Moon Gazelle… Little Lotus," I replied back.

I can't say…no, I won't say what happened then, but I'll just say, I didn't have Little Lotus anymore and it still haunts me. Maadrath still mocks me about it. She doesn't realize how deep this was… but I will, never, _never_ forget Moon Gazelle. My beautiful _Shari_.


	6. It takes a thief to catch a thief

Tale 5. It takes a thief to catch a thief

Bound hand and foot, I was led into the presence of the Pharaoh and his court.

"Ku, ku, ku! Sending you entire army just to overpower me? Fight me like a man! This is hardly your style, Pharaoh."

"On you knees! Thief!" The captain of the guards ordered.

"No, stop, Jouno-san," The Pharaoh said.

"But Pharaoh-sama!"

"Jouno!"

"Well! What do you want from me?"

"I didn't send my army to capture you just so I could kill you… oh, no! I have a job for you… King-of-Thieves-Nahkti…"

I ate with the Pharaoh that evening. They had untied me but I was still chained to a guard. They were afraid I would be too dangerous… and they were right!

"Well… umph… what is… yum… this job… gulp… you have for me?" I asked, between bites. The Pharaoh gritted his teeth uncomfortably at my horrible manners while his courtiers regarded me with a look of horror. It made me giggle quietly.

"I need you to steal something for me."

"Hahahahah! You need to steal something? Well, you've come to the right person what exactly is it you need me to steal?"

"My queen, erm, has been stolen… erm, kidnapped."

"He he, fallen in love with someone else has she? Well I'll…"

The Pharaoh coughed loudly, cutting off my little joke. "She's been kidnapped by the king of an enemy nation and I need you to help me get her back."

"Well, feh!" I replied, "Why can't someone else go rescue her? Better yet, why don't you, Pharaoh Atemu, go and play hero and save her yourself? Or are you just trying to humiliate me by making me play your games before you kill me?"

"It's not quite so simple as that. The enemy has a thief."

"The enemy king… owns… a thief? Well that's a pretty pathetic thief! No good thief abides to rules of any kind!" I retorted.

"Well, it's kind of hard to explain but you see, some kings have these royal thieves. They go steal stuff for them from enemies. Like good weapons, magic…etc. This thief has hidden Queen Teanna somewhere and I need you to go steal her back for me. If you do, I'll give you a lot of gold and 6 months off to not have to take the full punishment if you get caught. Good deal, ne?"

I sniffed, "And if I don't do this… little task… for you. What will you do to me?"

He sipped his wine. "I'll kill you."

"Humph! And what good will that do you? If I'm gone who'll get your precious _shari_?"

"What good will it do me? Well let's see… I'll be rid of a dangerous thief who's terrorizing my people, oh, yeah, and you're out to kill me so that's one less person who's trying to assassinate me… need I say more?"

I was irritated. The Pharaoh was playing his **_courtly_** word games with me. It wasn't fair. I wasn't some high-bred lord.

He waited, "Deal?" he asked.

"Deal!" I replied. We shook on it. He looked rather uncomfortable I "think" I "accidentally" grabbed his hand to hard.

I rode along… with Jouno attached to me.

"Now remember, the Pharaoh said no other thieves and no funny stuff… got it?"

"Whatever…"

People stared at us strangely, wondering why I was riding with Captain Jouno. When we reached the city gate, I saw Ryoo waiting there for us.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Well, y'see news travels fast on the streets of Egypt. You're going to help rescue the Queen! That's so nice of you!" He smiled sweetly at me.

So sweet in fact it made me want to retch…"Nice? I had my life threatened!" I yelled so vigorously that I almost fell off the horse.

"C'mon!" Jouno shouted, "We don't have all day!"

Ryoo jumped onto the back of my horse and grabbed onto me. "I'm going to! Maadrath sent me to keep you out of trouble!" he explained.

"Hey, I said no other thieves!" Jouno yelled, waving his hand threateningly at my Ryoo.

"I'm not a thief!" Ryoo shouted defensively.

"Then what are you?" He glared hard at him.

I quickly covered, "He's my um, slave, yeah…"

"Well, he'd better not murder me in my sleep!"

"I swear by Maat! I would never do such an awful thing!" Ryoo replied, horrified at the thought of killing someone. I don't know why, though, he'd seen me kill people dozens of times.

"Alright… but one false move and you're dead meat!"

Then we kept moving.

Later that evening…

Jouno and I sat glaring bloody daggers at each other by a fire Ryoo had made. We scooted as far away from each other as the chain binding our wrists together would allow. I was sure Jouno shared my thoughts of unchaining us but only the Pharaoh had the key and that was back at Memphis.

"Awww…. C'mon guys, can't you get along," Ryoo whimpered unconvincingly at us. We both just snorted at each other.

From clues picked up from town to town, I pieced together the information and figured out the approximate place where the thief could be hiding. There was a group of small mountains and I figured that's where they were… but Jouno had ideas of his own. _He _figured the thief had gone right back to his master and the queen was now in the dungeon of the enemy. At the point where we'd either go East or West Jouno and I had a big argument.

"What do you know about this sort of stuff? Thief!" Jouno yelled self-importantly at me.

"_I'm_ a thief! Idiot! I know he wouldn't just go to the first place everyone would look!"

"Thieves? Smart? This has everything to do with politics!"

"Politics? What do you and your fat head know about politics?"

"I've lived with the Pharaoh all my life! I know these sort of things!"

"Well, then, for your fat head's information, this has _nothing_ to do with politics!"

"Of course it does! That's why this happened in the first place! And address me as Jouno-san, thief! Or should I say Jouno-sama!"

"Heh! Omae's more like it! You should be the one showing more respect! And my name's Nahkti! _Not_ thief!"

"I'll call you what ever I want! You…"

"Um… guys… isn't this sort of straying from the point?" Ryoo asked, breaking into the heated fight. He cleared his throat. "Shouldn't we go with Nahkti's plan? I mean, isn't he the one the Pharaoh hired. You're just here to make sure he doesn't just run away or something right?"

"The little guy puts up a pretty good point. Okay, _thief_ XD ,lead on!"

"Heh…"

"I'm not a little guy!"

"Fuwahahahahaha!"

"No taking my evil laugh!"

"… Buwaha…ha…"

We walked into the valley. The mountains on each side were like walls covered in caves. The thief could be in any one.

"Let's try that one!" Jouno pointed.

"No, you fool! That's to close to when we first started looking here. Any _smart_ thief would be hiding farther in!"

"Feh!"

"Don't you 'feh' me! You self-righteous dog!"

"Who are you calling a dog? Dog!"

"If we're going to find the queen, you guys have got to stop it! You're lucky Maadrath sent me or you'd both probably be dead by now!"

We both looked down at Ryoo who was glaring angrily at us. "Now come on!" he grabbed the chain between Jouno and me and began marching the way the thief was most likely hiding.

Just then, I saw something move.

"Ryoo!" I hissed.

"Huh?"

"Look!" I pointed. The silhouette of a man was hiding behind a rock. Ryoo quietly dropped the chain. His eyeballs wandering in the man's direction as he kept walking slowly. I smiled. I had trained him well. Any fool would have noisily let go and jerk his head toward where I indicated. Ryoo had kept the man from noticing we had noticed him. As the man moved Ryoo slowly circled around and followed him from a distance.

"I think we have our thief!" I grinned at him.

"What's going on?" Jouno asked.

"Shhh!" Ryoo and I both shushed him simultaneously.

"Hey, we're back where we started," Jouno stated the obvious. Just then he finally noticed the thief. "There he is!" He shouted, blowing our cover. The man made a run for it toward the first cave Jouno had suggested. Once inside, Jouno began his rejoicing, "See! I told you it was this one! He was just tired and stopped here!"

"I think that's hardly the case! He probably suspected we would suspect him and so hid in the last place he thought a smart person would look."

"Bah! You think too much… oh wait… hey! Are you suggesting I'm a stupid person!"

When we finally reached the man, he fearfully backed against a wall. "No, don't kill me! I'll give you all my money!"

"Feh! This is no thief!" I said. "Just a traveler!"

"Oh," Jouno replied, embarrassed.

"Don't kill me! In the name of Osiris don't hurt me!"

"Coward! I should kill you right now!… but I won't. Tell me what I need to know and no one gets hurt…"

It turned out the man had only been avoiding us and happily showed us which way he had seen the thief take queen Teanna. Ryoo thanked him and we went on our way.

"I guess I was right, huh? Huh?" I asked Jouno playfully.

Jouno just growled.

We searched the caves in the area the man had lost the thief. We found fresh footprints in one of them and a bracelet with the symbol of the Pharaoh on it. Either this thief was as bad as I thought, or the queen was purposely leaving clues for us to follow. That would make the thief stupid either way. He should be able to keep his victims from doing stuff like that. Just then, we heard a sound. I spun around… just barely dodging a dagger that sped toward me. Jouno landed beside me with a thump just as I remembered we were still chained together.

"What was that for?" he demanded.

"Curse you! I just saved our life! Look," I indicated the dagger. I rolled aside grabbing Jouno in the process as another sped toward us. Just then I heard a strangled cry from Ryoo.

"Ryoo-chan!" I shouted.

Jouno stood up dazedly. A man dressed in a black robe walked out of the shadows holding Ryoo. Ryoo was struggling furiously trying to bite him.

"Let go of my Ryoo!" I ordered. "I am the thief king Nahkti and if you are a true thief, you _will _bow before me!"

The man simply laughed. "I am a thief but not one like you, filthy eta! yeah, this is a Japanese term it is what samurai called the lowest class peasants."

I growled at the insult. Just then, Jouno decided for some reason the man would listen to him even though he already ignored me, "In the name of the Pharaoh, turn over the queen!"

"Who are you?" The man laughed.

"I am the captain of the guard Jouno and if you don't release the queen now… em, you don't want to know…"

"That's right… _you_ don't want to know what _I'll _do to you if you don't leave now!" The man lunged at us with a large saber. Jouno and I leapt in opposite directions. We were doomed. The saber came down… and chopped the chain keeping us together in half. I smiled despite of myself. I allowed myself the quick luxury of sticking my tongue out at Jouno then tackled the man, knocking Ryoo out of his arms. Jouno caught him.

"Uh… hi?" Ryoo said as he landed.

I jerked a knife out of my belt and soon the thief and I were in a death-lock.

"Give up! I am the king of thieves! There are no thieves better than me in the whole world!"

"Guess again!" He laughed as he kicked me in the groin.

I grunted in pain as I hit the cave wall.

"Nahkti-sama!" Ryoo yelled running toward me.

"No! Get away Ryoo! You! Jouno get Ryoo out of here! I get the queen if it's the last thing I do!"

Ryoo sniffled as Jouno dragged him out the cave, "Isn't that just so noble of him…"

"Noble? Darn you! I'm just trying to prove a point to this pathetic excuse for a thief!" I yelled after them, as I tackled him again.

We kept fighting. It was together and then apart struggle and then a push and we'd look for each other's weak spots. Suddenly, he was gone.

"Show yourself!" I yelled nervously.

"Huwahahahahahah!"

He had been clinging to the ceiling. I quickly whirled around as he jumped and when he was in midair I thrust two daggers upward, impaling him. I winced as his blood flowed down my hands and onto my sleeves.

Then it occurred to me, I had forgotten to ask where he had hidden the queen. That was stupid of me. Oh well, now he was dead. I dropped his body and went farther into the cave where he had probably hidden her.

The queen was tied up in the back of the cave… and she was smoking mad. Her dress was torn and her hair was a mess.

"Lert merph go dern yr!" She yelled from behind the gag.

It took all I had to keep from laughing. "H-here, let me help you," I said nearly bursting out laughing. I quickly untied her.

"Thanks," she said, spitting and spluttering. "Aaaaaauuuuuuggggggggghhhhhhh," she screamed when she saw who I was. She looked around and grabbed a rock. "Don't, touch, me!" she yelled. Holding the rock up.

"Hahahahahahaha!" I laughed, " I'm not going to hurt you. I wasn't sent your husband the Pharaoh to steal you back from that other man. "Isn't that nice of me?" I winked sarcastically.

Later back with Jouno and Ryoo….

We all sat by a fire eating the food we had brought. Ryoo sat behind the queen, brushing her hair painstakingly.

Since we didn't have a hairbrush, Ryoo had volunteered to make her hair not look like a bush.

"Off!"

"Uhg!"

"Ouch!"

"Hold still!"

"Is it gone yet?"

"Did that guy put excretement in you hair or something?"

"What the heck?"

Yes, painstakingly… emphasis on the pain.

The next morning…

I hid behind the makeshift tent just as the queen woke up and came out. She yawned.

"Hahahaha!" I exclaimed, pushing her against a post. "I stole you so that makes you mine, right?" I grinned suggestively at her.

"Aaaaaahhhhhhhhh!" She screemed.

"Hehe, just kidding scared you didn't I? Huh? Huh?" I laughed and walked away just as Jouno who was still half asleep came to investigate.

"Ots Woing gon?" he asked and passed out.

I snickered.

"You wouldn't dare do that in the presence of my husband," she snapped at me. "Joking, or not!"

"Well," I smiled charmingly, "I'm not…"

"Lowlife!" She shouted.

Oh, so she wanted a name-calling contest did she? That was my specialty.

"Highbred!"

"Eta!"

"Arrogant!"

"You're the one who's arrogant!"

"Well at least I've got a reason!"

"What are you suggesting?"

"_I don't _suggest you and the queen argue too much. We're going back to Memphis now and if the Pharaoh finds out, you're in big trouble." Jouno. He had come back to his senses. We loaded the tent, the remains of our food, the queen, and Ryoo on the horses and started back to Memphis.

"Why am I loaded on a horse anyway?"

"Yeah! Me to! As the Pharaoh's wife…"

"As the Pharaoh's wife it isn't proper for a lady like you to be walking."

"Jouno! You know I'm not one of those wimpy courtier ladies!"

"Why am I loaded on a horse, Nahkti-sama! Tell me !"

"Heheheheheh…. Cuz you're cargo…"

"Whose?"

"Mine."

"Darn you…"

"No darning me."

"…"  
"Jouno-san! Let me off this horse! I know how to walk!"

Back at Kuru Eruna…

"So, how'd it go, Nahkti?" Maadrath asked.

"It was alright."

"Nothing too horrible I suppose."

"No, quite the opposite! I get cash, a horse, and six months of free pass without being executed if I get caught! Yeah!"

"Don't get too reckless."

"Nahkti I'm not cargo!"


	7. Loyalty

Tale 6. Loyalty

This actually takes place before they have Ryoo. It is about the thieves' true devotion to their leader. It's very sad and Yugi is very nice.

We were surrounded.

"We'll fight to the death!" Maadrath declared bravely.

"Not likely, cowards," one of the soldiers smirked.

I couldn't see a way out. It was a choice of capture or utter defeat… and wasn't ready for that. I had to preserve this group of thieves. They were all I had left of any kind of family.

"Stop!" I ordered.

"But Nahkti…."Maadrath said.

"Don't hurt them!" I yelled to the soldiers. "Take me but leave them alone."

"Wait, Nahkti-san, just what are you doing?" Maadrath asked, approaching me.

"No, Maadrath. If I am to exact my revenge on the Pharaoh and his family I can't have all of us dying. This is the only way." Then I whispered in her ear, "I'll escape if I can. If I can't you and Beneset will have to lead them. Preserve my vision!"

Maadrath gasped, her eyes were wet.

"Let my thieves go!" I ordered the soldiers.

The back away, leaving a path.

"Well, are you going to take me…" I smirked, "or are you too scared?"

The soldiers looked at each other, unsure of what to do. Was it a trap?

One walked up to me and tied me up. Then they led me away. I looked back. My thieves looked like they were at my funeral. Didn't they trust me to be resourceful enough. I gave them an encouraging grin… and got a buffet on the head from a soldier.

At the Pharaoh's court…

"We caught this man trying to rob a tomb!" One of the guards accused, pointing a finger at me. Wasn't already obvious enough?

"Is this true?" The Pharaoh boomed at me.

"Yes!" I replied as defiantly as I could.

"Take him to the dungeon and do with him as you like!" he ordered, "we will have the execution tomorrow."

I got another wack on the head as we left.

"Yeoch! What by Osiris was that for?" I demanded.

"Shudup! Theif!" They snickered.

That evening in a prison cell….

The world spun. I lay on the clammy floor. I barely felt anything. My head hurt and my nostrils were filled with the smell of blood and mold.

After the soldiers had taken me into the dungeon they had taken my robes, jewelry and beaten me until I was like this. I hadn't resisted until it was too late. I thought if I just submitted they'd loose interest and then I'd have time to find a way out. Not now. Not in this state. The only parts of my body I could feel were the parts that were wounded and then only the wounds and the hot blood ebbing out of them.

I had always been intrigued by blood, be it my own or someone else's but now it was the only thing I could feel, smell, and taste and it made me feel sick. I was about to let myself pass out when I heard talking above me.

"If you captured the leader, how hard could it have been to capture the rest?"

"Easy, my lord."

"Then why didn't you?"

"Well, it's hard to explain, my lord. This one, he gave himself up. He didn't want anymore damage done to the others."

"What?"

"He said to take him and leave the others."

"I won't punish you, but that was a foolish thing to do, captain. He wanted the others to be able to rise up again and continue what he started but I don't blame him."

"Pharaoh-sama… but maybe there was something else…"

"Yugi-chan?"

"Maybe there was some genuine affection in that corrupted mind of his. Couldn't it be possibility those thieves were his friends. I mean I feel kind of bad for him. Come with me."

"Pharaoh?"

"You are excused, Jouno-san, go report to your duties."

"Aye, Pharaoh-sama."

Footsteps.

I felt a small hand on me and I looked up into huge purple eyes.

"You're still alive?" He asked incredulously.

"What did you expect from me. I'm not some wimp Pharaoh!" I coughed blood.

The young slave didn't even flinch from the insult. "Here…" he held a flask of water to my lips. I drank thirstily.

"Yugi-chan, are you sure this is safe?"

"Can't you see what they did to him. The worst criminal doesn't deserve to be treated this way."

"N…" the Pharaoh bent down next to me.

"What are _you_ doing here?" I grimaced.

"Hey, that's no way to greet me," the Pharaoh chastised… but he didn't mean it in a bad way.

I felt strange. Could this really be the son of the man who ordered all of my people killed? No! I ordered myself. This was the man who would order my own death tomorrow.

I groaned as Yugi poured medicine into my wounds.

"No! Stop moving!" the little one ordered, gently wiping me with a wet cloth.

Despite myself, tears were running down my cheeks.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" Yugi asked. I nodded agreement. I couldn't let them know why I was really crying.

"W-why are you doing this?" I asked Yugi.

"Because, no one should have to hurt like this. No one!"

"But your master is going to have me killed tomorrow. What does it matter?"

"It doesn't matter because we will all die someday. If we die today, tomorrow, or 50 years from now it doesn't matter. You can't just hurt someone like this," Yugi replied binding my wounds.

"But I've hurt people before. I guess isn't it 'justice' to let your people hurt me back?"

"I don't think that way. Maybe you were wrong but maybe if I show you how to be kind, you will too… and maybe you won't but if we are cruel to each other, who will learn to be kind to each other. There, is that better?"

I could sit up now. My eyes had cleared and I could see Yugi more clearly now. He looked down at me sympathetically. Feh! I didn't need anyone's sympathy but still… it felt good to have someone care.

"Well," he said, "See you soon…"

"Yeah…" I grunted… see you at my funeral.

I listened to Yugi and Atemu's footsteps as I laid my sore, exhausted body down.

"Did you really think that would change him?"

"No, but I think what I did was right…"

Soon, I was asleep.

The next morning…

My bandages were gone. Yugi had probably taken them so no one would know what he had done the last night. I rubbed myself. The medicine had done a considerable job healing my wounds. I tried standing and found it didn't do anything more than make my head spin a little.

Just then, a couple of burly looking guards came by.

"C'mon!" one ordered grabbing me roughly as the other put shackles on my wrists. " It's your turn."

They shoved me out of the catacombs and onto the street. I didn't, no, I couldn't even resist. I felt broken and weak. I had never felt like this before, not since that day I saw all the people I ever knew slaughtered. I was pushed, shoved, and smacked onto a platform. The Pharaoh was standing on a podium to the right of it. I felt dizzy from the loss of blood the other night.

"…sentenced to impalement for disturbing the spirits…"

So that was what they did to tomb robbers. I had always known it was something rather gruesome but I had never taken the time to actually figure out what it was. I didn't feel so good. I noticed Yugi. He looked terrified and clung tightly to the Pharaoh's cloak. He looked up at me. Please… his eyes seemed to beg. He wanted me to stop and leave my past behind even if it was for only a few moments.

Sorry, Yugi, I couldn't. Not with the past I had. Maybe you could, but I'm not like you.

The two guards grabbed my arms. I didn't resist. I couldn't but I knew my thieves would avenge me like had wanted to avenge the people of Kuru Eruna.

"Stop! Release him now!" Shouted a strong female voice. We turned around. It was Maadrath and the others all on horses.

"No! You guys! Get away!" I yelled at them, chains clanking.

"Sorry, Nahkti but we're here to rescue you and there's nothing you can do about it!" Maadrath insisted.

"Thank you…" I said my eyes felt wet. I couldn't cry now not in front of all these people.

"Well!" Maadrath and I shouted in one voice, "Kill them!"

The thieves quickly dispersed the once excited crowd. Maadrath leapt up on the podium with a large rod and whacked the guard on the head with it. The guard let out a groan and was out cold. She grabbed the keys off his belt and deftly freed my wrists.

"You okay?" she asked, "You look a bit green."

"What do you think? I'm not some wimp Pharaoh."

"What exactly do they do to tomb robbers anyway?"

I felt my stomach retch and pointed quickly to a large stake. Maadrath turned green as well as I threw up.

"Stop this! Stop this at once!" Atemu shouted to the thieves who were viciously attacking the people. Of course it did no good and Maadrath and I quickly joined them.

Yugi POV

"Let me try!" I said to Pharaoh-sama.

"No! I can't let you get hurt!" he replied.

But I jumped off the podium toward the chaos anyway.

"No!" I yelled as I stepped between Nahkti and a man he was fighting. "You'll get nowhere if you just keep hurting people. Nahkti grimaced at me and raised his fist but I just kept looking him in the eyes.

"Alright, just this once, for you," He whispered. "Hey! Guys! Stop! We're going!" he yelled to the other thieves

They stared at each other questioningly but followed their leader anyway.

"Should I send my army after them now?" Atemu-sama asked me as we watched them ride away into the distance.

"No, let them go."

"It was a dangerous thing you did there, y'know."

"Yes, I know…. But I also know there is some good in that thief no matter how mean he makes himself out to be.

"You disobeyed the Pharaoh…"

"A terrible crime?" I smiled.

"Punishment!" he yelled ask he tackled me.

"Ow, that's my head!"

"Oh, sorry… tickle tickle tickle!"

"Ooo, ah, hahahahah…"

Normal Nahkti POV

Back at the hideout…

"Maadrath, you're crazy for trying to save me you know."

"Yes, I know…"

"You could have all been killed."

"Nahkti-sama," Karia said, "You're our leader and we'll have you or none other."

"Who else will I tease?" Maadrath asked.

"Who else will I look up to?" Beneset asked.

"Who else will lead us like you did. We'd never live with ourselves if we just let you die like that," the others all said in one voice.

"You are our one and only leader. You brought this rag-tag group together. If it wasn't for you, we never would have met. We will give our loyalty to none other than you," Sebnekht said.

"But to show we really care. We won't just do whatever you say. We aren't your servants, we're your friends… and we had decided it didn't matter. We were going to save you or die trying," Beneset added.

I smiled, "You guys are the best friends I ever had."

"Group hug!" Karia laughed as all the thieves jumped me at once. We all laughed at ourselves on top of each other.

"When we're old," Maadrath said, "We'll think back and think: we were friends. We hung out together and watched the sunset paint the desert red."

"If we live that long," Houresus joked.

We all laughed and then grimaced at how true that joke most likely actually was.

"Erm, you're on my feet…"

"Sorry Nahkt-sama…"

"Oof!"

"Ow!"

"Getoffgetoffgetoff!"

"Ow! Not there!"

"Sorry."

"Pardon me."

When we finally untangled ourselves I said, "Uh, I got to go and re-fix my wounds up."

"Re?" I heard Karia ask as I walked away.

As I poured water and wine in the wounds I thought of Yugi.

"Yugi!" I said to the wind. "When I'm Pharaoh. I swear I won't kill you. You'll be free of that wimp Atemu and you'll serve me! You don't deserve to die. Thank you for all you've done!"

I hoped the message had somehow been carried to him… and I felt like I had thanked him in my own strange way.


	8. The crisis of the mismatched slaves

Tale 7. The crisis of the mismatched slaves

This story was actually told by my sister (Tokuan) and me before except this is a shortened toned down version.

The original took several days to tell and was a lot goofier.

Note: The lavender shampoo has nothing to do with Yaoi. It's supposed to be funny.

The POVs are mostly going to be Yugi and Ryoo since those are me and my sister's favorite characters.

Maadrath, Beneset, Ryoo and I were in a tomb. We had just finished taking what we could, when we heard footsteps.

"Oh, great!" I muttered.

"C'mon!" Maadrath yelled. "Split up! We'll meet at the eastern entrance."

Ryoo and I ran like mad.

"There they are!" A bunch of guards yelled, "Get them. We reached a fork.

"Ryoo, you ready?" I asked.

"Aye."

"Do your stuff!" I ran down one tunnel as Ryoo turned around. The guards wouldn't kill him I assured myself. He was just a boy after all.

Ryoo POV

One of the guards grabbed me and I bit him. He let go, yowling.

I kicked the next on in the stomach. Nahkti's rather painful training had some use after all. Maybe I could get away. Just then, two of them jumped me and it was too much. I screamed and when they finally finished tying my up the stood up. The lead guard who had a weird shock of yellow hair looked at me.

"Hey!" he said, "You can't be the King of Thieves."

"Yes I am!" I insisted, trying to stall.

"He's just a little boy," one of the others said.

"What are we going to do with him?" another asked.

"I don't know," the former replied, "Maybe he knows something. Let's take him back with us. Get up, boy!"

At the Pharaoh's court…

"All that work and all you have to show for it is this little kid!" Atemu yelled, irritated at the guard's idiocy.

"But, we thought he was Nahkti…"

"Of course he's not Nahkti! Don't you get it? He was a decoy. The real Nahkti escaped. You should be more observant!"

The guards stared at the floor, embarrassed.

"You may go…" the Pharaoh said, plopping back down on the too-big throne and waving them away.

"Come here, boy," He said to me.

I stumbled up the steps to where he sat and bowed low to the ground before his feet.

"Get up." This was the first time I had ever seen him so close. It was scary… it… it… it smelled good. I sniffed. The Pharaoh used lavender shampoo?

He grabbed me by the chin and pulled me close to his face. His purple eyes studied my own brown ones… then, after what felt like hours, he released me.

"What were you doing in that tomb anyway?" he asked.

"I'm sorry, Pharaoh-sama," I amended, "But while I would never hurt you or anyone you care about my stronger loyalty lies with my thief-sama and I can't tell you." I bowed again.

"I see…" he said, glaring at me. What was he going to do to me?

"Yugi-chan," he called and I was surprised to see a boy about my age peek out from behind the throne.

"Hello," he said.

"Yugi, this boy was found with the thieves. Take care of him and see what information you get out of him." Then the Pharaoh got up and left.

"My name's Yugi!" he said brightly to me, "What's yours?"

"Um… Ryoo."

"I'm the Pharaoh's personal slave! Come with me! You are going to live with us now."

"But I don't…" I quickly protested but he had already grabbed my wrist and was trying to show me the palace.

Evening…

At the end of all that I could have robbed the entire palace _and_ gotten away with it. Did Yugi really trust me? That's right. I was their prisoner now. Nahkti would come for me though, I knew it.

"Aren't you going to eat your soup?" Yugi asked. He was sitting on the floor in the corner of the kitchen next to me.

"Oh, yes," I replied and drank it quickly.

"It's time for bed. C'mon!" Yugi said. When we reached our destination, we were at Yugi's room (the Pharaoh's room).

"I can't stay here! I'm a prisoner!" I exclaimed, finding myself in the place that only the Pharaoh and his personal servants went.

"Of course you can! You're going to stay with me!" Yugi said.

I felt bad. They were accepting me while I didn't even trust them.

I laid on the bed next to Yugi.

"So, where do you live?" Yugi asked.

"Oh, I live with thief-sama in Ku…" I stopped, "I can't tell you."

"Oh…"

"Well, who…"

I cut him off, "You won't get any information out me. I'm sorry but I can't tell you!" I said… and really, I was sorry but I couldn't. I owed Nahkti my life.

Yugi stared at me uneasily.

"I'm not going to murder you in your sleep. Please stop staring at me like that Yugi-sama."

"Sorry, was I doing that? If you don't want to tell me it's okay. Oh, and just Yugi is fine. I'm not the Pharaoh, y'know. Just a slave just a common human like yourself, Ryoo."

The next morning, I went over all the information I knew:

"Yugi posed no immediate threat while the Pharaoh was another matter. The courtiers could be deceived until it was safe…" I laughed at myself inwardly. I sounded like Nahkti. Maybe he was rubbing off on me or something…

"Hey, Ryoo," Yugi said, "The cook's got an errand we can run! Pharaoh-sama says I can go! Want to come along?"

"Sure," I replied.

"We have to buy, 5 handfuls of leeks, 3 chickens, and a sack of bread… and, if we have extra coppers left over, the cook says we can buy treats with them."

I smiled back. Yugi was so fun. If I could choose anywhere, I'd live with him here. It was much more relaxing than always on the run or hiding with the thieves.

I got tied to Yugi. I supposed it was for safety but I didn't like it.

"C'mon! Lets go this way!" Yugi said. We had already bought all the leeks. Yugi was a great bargainer. At this rate, we'd be able to buy enough treats to last us for days.

"Psst!" A voice from the shadows called and a finger jerked toward the direction of some run-down houses.

"Yugi, I have to see someone," I said.

"But the cook said we shouldn't be running off."

"Please… Yugi."

"Well… will it be quick?"

"Yes, just let me off this rope for a few moments."

"You're not thinking of running off are you?"

"No… I mean I won't!"

"How can I trust you?"

"Please, you have to. I swear by Maat I'll return and Ra strike me dead if I don't!"

"Yeah… Ra strike him dead…" Yugi muttered as I ran off.

An arm shot out and grabbed me as I ran past an alley.

"Thief-sama!" I rejoiced.

"C'mon, we're going back!" He replied.

"Wait, no, I can't I promised Yugi…"

"What does it matter? Yugi doesn't care!"

"I have to go… but please, come back for me. I don't want to stay there forever. I can't look suspicious."

"You sure act like you do…" Nahkti muttered as I ran away.

"Hey! I'm back!" I said to Yugi cheerfully.

"Who was that anyway."

"Erm," I drew a finger across my throat and coughed a couple times to make a point.

"You don't say…"

Yugi and I sat upstairs laughing, honey coated our hands.

"Wow Yugi! This is really good!"

"Yeah, I'm really great at bargaining aren't I? I think that's why cook always tries to send me even though it's not really my job. The kitchen boy is really bad at it. It's not really like I have a lot to do, though. The Pharaoh really doesn't need me when he's doing his work."

"M…" I agreed, smiling. Yugi had a really easy….not to mention not dangerous job.

After we ate dinner Yugi asked me if I wanted to go on the roof.

"Sure, why not."

When we got there, an amazing site greeted me. "Oh, Yugi, it's beautiful!" The sunset had had painted all of Memphis a glowing orange. The sky itself was a neon pink, blue, and orange.

I leaned against the smaller boy as the sunset faded. "I could do this every night, Yugi-kun."

"But you can!" Yugi replied.

If only I could agree with you. I thought inside. It would be easy to just stay here forever with Yugi but part of me still longed to go back to my real home. I didn't have one until Nahkti took me in. No matter how wonderful it was here, in the palace, my place was with Nahkti, Maadrath, and the others.

I didn't hear from Nahkti for many days and I wondered if he had forgotten about me or I had made him mad but that night…

I heard a clink on the windowsill waking me instantly. I peered around the room to see if anyone else had heard. I guess it was just me because I had always been a light sleeper and the Pharaoh was probably too exhausted and stressed to be waken by that.

"Ryoo-chan!" Nahkti whispered as he climbed in.

"Nahkti-sama, I thought you had forgotten me!"

"Naw, I was just letting you have a few more days in the palace."

I grinned back.

"Stop!" it was Yugi. "Don't move, or I'll scream and wake the Pharaoh," he whispered.

"Sorry kid," Maadrath stepped out from behind a vase and grabbed Yugi's mouth. I wondered just how long she'd been hiding there.

"Let's go!" Nahkti said. "Hold on tight!" he warned as he climbed down the rope. Maadrath soon followed.

Nahkti Normal POV

"Stop!" Yugi yelled as we rode away. "Don't you know kidnapping is against the law?"

"You actually think I care about the law?" I retorted.

"Now be quiet, kid, and nobody gets hurt," Maadrath added.

Ryoo was clinging happily to me. It was rather pathetic that he could actually miss someone that much.

Back at the hideout, we still had the problem of what to do with the Pharaoh's favorite slave. We couldn't just keep him. He could be a pretty useful tool, though. I tied him to Ryoo and told Ryoo to make sure he wouldn't run away.

Yugi POV

"Tied to me again, huh?" Ryoo commented.

"Yeah…"

"Sorry Thief-sama had to do this but it's to keep you from running away."

"Ryoo, don't you go and start acting like that! I was serious when I said that about Pharaoh-sama but this is different. I've been captured and take to this, this… where are we anyway?"

"I can't tell you."

"… shoulda known. Why are you so loyal to that thief anyway?"

"It's a long story."

"I'm not going anywhere."

Ryoo then started a story of how he was orphaned and how Nahkti had picked him off the street.

"Wow, that's quite a story!" I said to Ryoo.

"Yeah," he agreed.

"So, what are the thieves planning to do with us… I mean me."

"I'm not sure yet. You are a precious game piece, though, so I'm sure they won't kill you."

"Game piece?"

"Yeah, you can be very useful, considering how much the Pharaoh cares about you… but, isn't that how you at the palace thought of me?"

"Of course not!" I replied, shocked. The Pharaoh had always taught me that no matter who a person was, they had the same red blood flowing in their veins as myself. "I really _did_ mean it when I said you were supposed to live with us."

Ryoo looked surprised. I suppose he had thought he was only a prisoner.

The next day at breakfast I was sitting next to Maadrath watching Ryoo. He was carrying

some water to Nahkti but he must have gotten mixed up because he handed it to Maadrath who already had a cup.

"Hey! That's my water Ryoo!" Nahkti said, hitting him carelessly with his hand.

"Sorry," Ryoo amended but the slap had made him a little off balance and some of the water splashed on Nahkti.

"What was that for?" He asked which eventually started an all out tussle.

What was Nahkti doing! I wondered. Was he hurting Ryoo? I stood up and ran over.

"Hey! Come back!" Maadrath grabbed at me but I was too quick for her.

"What are you doing to him?" I demanded.

"Huh?" they both stopped instantly. I observed that Nahkti's hand was in mid-strike and Ryoo had an arm up to block it.

"What?" Nahkti asked.

"Nothing…" Ryoo said, "Doesn't your Pharaoh do this to you too?"

"What?" I asked. Ryoo had a bleeding scrape on his forehead and a few bruises scattered over his body and limbs. Did they think my master was some sort of heartless jerk?

"We do this all the time…" Ryoo stared at me strangely and Nahkti got off of him, seeing there was nothing else fun to do and proceeded to refill the cup of water which had gotten spilled.

'We do this all the time…' what had Ryoo meant by that I wondered as I sat back down next to Maadrath. After a while, I simply concluded they had been playing. It was rather crude, but, then, everything around here was.

That evening, I had gotten away from Maadrath and was looking for Ryoo. At the edge of the town, sitting on a sand dune was Nahkti and Ryoo watching the sunset. Not wanting to disturb them, I hid behind some rubble and watched.

Nahkti and Ryoo were laughing. Sometimes, Nahkti would punch Ryoo or call him a name but I saw that it wasn't cruelty. All that was happening was being done good naturedly. All the things Nahkti did that appeared to be hurting Ryoo was done affectionately. In fact, Nahkti and Ryoo shared a relationship that mirrored the one that I had with my Pharaoh-sama… in a rougher way to be sure but they sincerely cared about each other. I smiled.

"Those boys…" a female voice said behind me.

"Huh? Maadrath-san?" I said looking up.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to punish you for running away. I find it vaguely amusing to watch them, myself. It's funny how guys show their affection to each other isn't it."

"Yeah…"

"I wonder what your thieves are up to," I asked Ryoo one evening.

"They aren't _my_ thieves they're Nahkti-sama's thieves. Do you really want to know what they're talking about."

"I got nothing better to do," I replied.

"Shh, come with me," Ryoo said. He led me to a place near the middle of the run down town we were in and wiped away the dust. There, on the ground, was a wooden trap door. Ryoo motioned me to press my ear to it. What I heard was a real shocker.

"What! What did you hear?" Ryoo asked, seeing my appalled face.

"They're going to attack the palace tomorrow! And they're going to use _me_ to get in!" I shouted, forgetting everything around me. "I have to warn the Pharaoh!" I shot up, only to be pulled back down by the rope tied to Ryoo.

"Please Ryoo, let me go! I have to warn him!"

"B-but, I can't. I'll be in trouble."

"Then tell them I got away, but please, I have to warn him!"

"Well…. Look, nighttime is a bad time to travel anyway and things will be too suspicious. How about if I let you get away on the way there. No one will notice. Besides, you have to eat something. You'll be able to have breakfast before you leave."

"Oh, alright…" I replied, hoping Ryoo wasn't tricking me.

The next morning, Ryoo gave me his breakfast despite my refusals.

"You'll need all the food you can get!" he had insisted.

Soon afterwards, we started off.

Ryoo pushed some more food on me during lunch then gave me a water bottle.

Ryoo POV

"Here, Yugi, you'll need this," I said, handing Yugi my water. Then I dug a knife out of my shirt. After quickly cutting the rope I handed it to Yugi as well.

"Now?" Yugi asked.

"Yes! Make a run for it! It's your only chance!"

Yugi looked around worriedly but seeing the thieves were currently occupied with eating, got up. "Thanks, Ryoo-kun," he said and ran off.

I was in real trouble. Nahkti wasn't going to be happy when he found out Yugi was gone.

Later that evening…

We hid in some bushes near the palace.

"Give me Yugi now," he said.

"I…I…"

"Well!"

"I don't have him."

"What!" Nahkti nearly yelled, outraged.

"I let him go."

"How could you do that?" The thief yelled loudly, shaking me by the shoulders.

"Who's there!" A young guard yelled. Nahkti quickly dropped me and tackled the guard. He gave him a good whack on the head, knocking him out cold.

"Now say that again. I dare you to!"

I gritted my teeth. It wasn't a pretty site when Nahkti lost his temper.

"Wait, Nahkti!" Maadrath said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Since the guard's out cold, we can get in. We can probably do some considerable damage even without him."

Nahkti lowered his fist and turned back around.

Yugi POV sometime right after his former POV ended

I ran. I just ran and ran. I had to get ahead of Nahkti and his thieves. I had to warn Atemu-sama.

I just kept running stopping only to take a few sips from the water bottle Ryoo had given me now and then.

It was nearly sunset when I reached the palace gates.

"Yugi!" The surprised guards exclaimed.

"Are you alright?" one of them asked.

"Hurry, get him inside!" the first replied.

The two guards burst into the throne room, carrying me.

"Pharaoh-sama! We found Yugi!"

"What? Yugi!" He ran down the steps to me and took me from the guards.

"Someone get some water!" he ordered.

"Yugi. Yugi-chan, are you alright? Please tell me you're alright!"

"Nahkti… thieves… attack," I grunted out before I blacked out.

Ryoo POV

The thieves quickly began looting the palace and destroying what couldn't be taken with them. It was pure confusion. Suddenly, I lost Nahkti. In the dark, I couldn't find him. Most of the torches had been put out in the mayhem. I ran around, crashing into random guards and occasionally some of the busy thieves. A vase fell and crashed near my feet, just barely missing my head. It was scary. I was afraid. I screamed and ran.

Yugi POV

I woke to the sound of crashing and havoc. I sat up. I was in Atemu-sama's bed and he was sitting next to me.

"Ah! Was I too late?" I asked.

"Shh, Shh, it'll be okay, Yugi-chan. If you hadn't warned us the damage would be worse. Here, drink this," he said, handing me a cup of water which I received gratefully.

Suddenly, there was a scream and Ryoo came stumbling into the room

"Ah!" Pharaoh said and unsheathed his knife.

"No! He's the one who let me go. I wouldn't be here… at least not in this way… if it wasn't for him."

"Oh, deeply sorry, Pharaoh-sama!" Ryoo said quickly, realizing where he had just stumbled upon and touched his head to the ground.

Nahkti Normal POV

"Alright!" I shouted triumphantly. We had done all the damage we could (omitting some rather difficult places which had an unusual number of guards), "Lets go! All accounted for? Maadrath, Beneset, Houresus, Nephertys, Hequeth, Sebnekt, Sashi, Karia, Isrosis, and Ryoo?"

"All here," Maadrath replied.

"Okay, let's go Ryoo…" I said. "Ryoo?" I asked, when there was no reply. "Darn it! Where's Ryoo!" I demanded of Maadrath.

"He's not here!" Maadrath exclaimed.

"Set take it all! You guys go on, I'll find Ryoo. He must have gotten lost in all that chaos."

I sighed as the others headed for doors and windows.

"Ryoo! Ryoo-chan!" I called, as I wandered through the palace. Finding that he wasn't downstairs, I climbed the stairs to the upper level. I opened a door… the door to what happened to the Pharaohs room. Ryoo, Yugi and the Pharaoh were sitting there.

"You!" The Pharaoh shouted and attacked me with a knife.

"Ahh!" I shouted, unprepared. I threw myself to one side in an effort to dodge. The Pharaoh missed and stumbled. I swung around and kicked him.

"Atemu-sama!" Little Yugi shouted, alarmed. This surprised me and taking advantage of my distraction, the Pharaoh tackled me. I shoved him off and blindly grabbed a small arm, thinking it was Ryoo's. Grabbing the boy's body to mine I leapt out of the window. I heard the Pharaoh cursing as I got away.

Back in Kuru Eruna the next morning…

When I woke, I found the boy next to me was not Ryoo, but Yugi. Yugi screamed when I woke up.

"Why'd you kidnap me again?" He demanded.

"I wasn't trying to kidnap you! I thought you were Ryoo!"

Maadrath yawned as she walked past us, "Good morning, boys…Wait… Yugi, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"That's what I was just asking _him_!" The irritated boy shouted.

"Well, Yugi," I said, "We've got some bargaining to do…"

The next afternoon, the Pharaoh showed up with a considerable amount of soldiers to get his Yugi back. Of course there was no need for the soldiers and I was happy to trade Yugi for Ryoo.

"Y'know something, Nahkti-sama," Ryoo asked as the procession rode away.

"What Ryoo?"

"The Pharaoh uses lavender shampoo!"

"Hahaha! What a wuss!"

"Can I have some?…"

"Haha… wait… what?"

"Hmhmhmhm… Why don't you go steal him some Nahkti, or are you too embarrassed to go steal soap!"


	9. At war with the Hittites

Tale 8. At war with the Hittites

This story is also a variation of part of the story before's original version. It is the original way in which Ryoo returns to Nahkti. The ending I put up there was supposed make it funnier. While Ryoo is in the palace with Yugi, Atemu goes to war with the Hittites and Yugi and Ryoo get dragged along. This one will be in Atemu's POV unless I say otherwise. Some of the things here that happen like Jouno turning blue(it was Yugi who turned blue in the original version) and Yugi killing a bunch of Hittites with a broken arrow is supposed to be funny although it is much funnier when acted out with your younger sister than on paper (or computer document O.O) so…

The battle was also much less descriptive in the original version since I was Ryoo and Tokuan was Yugi so the entire story was in our POV which means that every scene Yugi and/or Ryoo isn't in, didn't or at least was only assumed, in the original version.

"What?" I exclaimed, crumpling the paper in my hands. "The Hittites! Attacking us!"

"That's what the letter said, your excellency," the messenger said.

"Uhr…" I moaned, leaning against the back of the throne. "Thank you. You may return now," I said to the man and then put my face in my hands. Being the ruler of the most advanced society of the time was so stressful. I'd swear I'd grow gray hairs by 17.

"Jouno-san," I said to the captain of the guards, "Take over and don't let anyone in. I'm quitting early today!"

He looked at me sympathetically and then shouted some orders at some passing soldiers. I got up and walked toward the stairs. Teanna was there waiting for me.

"Is everything alright, husband? You look glum…"

"Don't I always?"

"Well… you look particularly glum. Need a kiss?" she asked, walking down the stairs.

I laughed as she nuzzled me. "Now tell me what's wrong."

"The Hittites have decided to attack us for some strange reason."

"What? But we had a treaty it was sealed when you took that princess into your harem."

"Aye, I know. It's really strange I'm not really sure what to do… and I can't bring myself to kill the girl. She's really nice you know."

Teanna gave me strange look and embraced me. "Don't worry, our soldiers are much better than some stupid Hittites."

I smiled back. I sure hope so, I thought.

"I heard what happened," Yugi said as he scrubbed my back.

"Pretty bad… I mean, with dishonesty like that you just don't know when war would break out. I thought the Hittites would honor their promise."

"Well, they're not Egyptians, y'know, they have no sense of Maat!"

"Mhm…"

"Yugi? Yugi?" It was Ryoo, opening the door he saw us. "Yugi! Ahhh!" He shouted when he saw what was commencing. Overcome with embarrassment he bowed face to the floor and didn't move until I had finished bathing, drying, and dressing.

"Erm, Ryoo, you can get up now," Yugi said, "I think the Pharaoh excepts your apology. Ryoo… Ryoo?"

"It's okay, Ryoo, we all make mistakes," I said and helped him up. Overcome with gratefulness, he fell to the floor, prostrate again. I smiled and told Yugi to meet me downstairs for dinner when he got Ryoo up.

The war was a hot point at dinner that evening.

"Are you really going to have a war, Pharaoh-sama?" Ryoo asked, wide-eyed.

"Yes Ryoo, the Hittites are going to attack us! Isn't that exciting!" Yugi replied.

"No, it's not!" My wife said, "War is very dangerous and people get killed. Only idiots think war is for glory's sake."

"You don't have to be quite so blunt," I told her, "Let the boys have some fun."

"Ngh… sorry husband-sama, I just can't stand it when you or any of your friends have to be put in danger."

I smiled, Teanna could be a little too serious for her own good sometimes.

The next morning we set off for the Hittite capitol. Yugi had insisted we bring Ryoo along.

"Why are you bringing Yugi, anyway?' Teanna asked me, "A battlefield is no place for a little boy like him to be!"

"Yugi's not that little… besides… I get sort of stressed out without him around…" I explained awkwardly.

Teanna glared at me, unconvinced but she didn't bother me anymore. I dressed Teanna and the boys in warmer clothing for it was rather cold where the Hittites lived. We then all got on my chariot. I lead the army toward the Hittite's land.

The next morning, when we reached there, I sent a messenger to the King of the Hittites begging him to stop the attack and remember the treaty.

He refused so I put the city under siege. If we couldn't go back to Egypt without their entire army attacking us, they weren't going to Egypt either.

The next morning, there was white stuff all over the ground. I think it was snow. I had never seen it before but I had heard of it and was pretty sure this is what it was.

"Wow! Cool!" Yugi said playing in the cold fluffy stuff. "C'mon! Play with me!" He demanded of Jouno, dragging him into the snow. Yugi, Ryoo, and Jouno romped about in the snow for a while. While little Yugi and Ryoo had plenty of energy I started to notice Jouno was turning a bit blue. I went back inside my tent to try and plan a way to quicken the Hittite's surrender.

During lunch, we served out the rations to the soldiers I noticed Jouno was an even darker shade of blue.

"Are you sure you're alright, Jouno-san?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine!" he replied as Yugi knocked him into the snow again. I grimaced and hoped Jouno wouldn't get any bluer.

Unfortunately at dinner… he had… I'd swear he was practically black.

"Um, Yugi," I said, "Please don't push Jouno-san in the snow anymore…"

"Oh… okay…" Yugi replied.

"Here, why don't you sit by the fire, Jouno," I said. Pushing him nearer. By bed time he had worn back down to a pale blue color to my relief.

I lay next to Teanna on the bed in the tent while Yugi and Ryoo snuggled together on the mat under us. Maybe Teanna was right. What if Yugi was killed. What if Teanna was killed! It would all be my fault. I whimpered incoherently and snuggled closer to Teanna. Beautiful Teanna… I couldn't sleep though. I was just too nervous. Just then, a man ran toward me.

"Ph-Pharaoh-sama!" He said, gasping.

"What?" I asked, "What's wrong?" The man just gasped and coughed. I brought him some water and let him drink some slowly.

"Are you okay now?" I asked.

"Pharaoh! The Hittites are heading towards the capitol!"

"But how? We have their capitol surrounded."

"I don't know! Maybe by a secret passage."

I had heard of those before. Digging a tunnel out of a city and attacking the enemy surrounding them.

"Thank, you," I said and put the man on one of our supply wagons.

"Jouno-san!" I yelled, shaking the blond boy.

"Huh? What time is it?" He asked.

"Jouno! The Hittite army got away and they're heading toward Memphis! Wake the troops, I'll go get the things together. Move out on the double as soon as you can!"

"Aye! Pharaoh-sama!" he saluted and ran off.

I quickly woke the boys and Teanna. Then I helped the soldiers load up the carts. As soon as all was ready we started as fast as we could back to Egypt.

When we reached Memphis, the Hittites were already there; slaughtering villagers left and right. One man was chasing a young woman holding a baby. I unsheathed my sword just in time to block his. The woman stared up at me in surprise.

"Th-thank you, Pharaoh-sama," she said.

"Don't thank me! Darn you! Just run!" I yelled at her. The woman looked nervous and confused but she got up and fled. Peasants were always so worried about not offending me. I'm sure that if I had been any other man, I'm sure she would have just run. I didn't have much time to brood on this though. The Hittite man was overpowering me but in a burst of strength, I threw him backwards.

Nahkti POV

When we had gotten rumor that the Hittites could be attacking Memphis soon, we traveled there, hoping that in the confusion, we could cause just a bit more! It was crazy when the Hittites attacked. Screaming people and red blood everywhere.

We quickly dispersed, looting what hadn't already been taken by the Hittite warriors. I wondered where the Pharaoh and his army was. Usually they would have been on the scene by now.

After many hours, I saw an army coming toward us… at the head, the Pharaoh. Where had the fool been all this time? The Pharaoh's army quickly set about protecting the villagers.

Yugi POV

Ryoo and I ran around. We didn't know what exactly to do since we weren't supposed to fight or anything. Suddenly, one man grabbed me and I screamed.

"Let him go!" Ryoo shouted.

"Well, well, well, what have got here?" The man who grabbed me said.

"Looks like one of the Pharaoh's little slaves! He'll bring in a pretty good price," Another exclaimed, seeing the pharaoh's symbol on a band on my leg.

"Let him go!" Ryoo shouted, slamming into the man. He wasn't big enough to hurt him but he knocked him off balance long enough to get away. I picked a broken arrow off the ground and stabbed him.

"What are we going to do?" Ryoo asked as a bunch of Hittites surrounded us.

"Um… uh… this!" I yelled and attacked the five men furiously stabbing them with my arrow. My hand's were covered with blood when I leapt back to Ryoo. All five of them fell forward dead… on top of us.

"How did you do that?" Ryoo asked admiringly.

"Actually… I'm not really sure," I replied.

"Now what?"

"Well, let's just stay here. Then nobody will kill us!" I said and fell limply as if I was dead. I certainly had enough blood and grime on me to be.

"Sure, good idea," Ryoo replied and got in a rather dead looking position.

Atemu Normal POV

The soldiers fought bravely but we were already tired out from running all the way back to Egypt. I hated to admit it but we were loosing. I heard Jouno's voice from the middle of the city ringing out, "We can do it!" he was shouting, "Because we're Egyptians! Crush those Hittite scum bags!"

A replying battle cry rose from the remaining Egyptian soldiers. My soldiers. They were so brave. Just then, a shape formed from out of the dust. I looked up. It was the Hittite king!

"So we meet at last, son of the Pharaoh!"

"I'm the Pharaoh now!" I yelled at him.

"Then it's time for me to crush you, Pharaoh. You and all of those arrogant Egyptians!"

He swung a large sword at me. I blocked it with my own. He was much stronger than me, though and it took all my strength just to hold his sword away from me. Sweat broke out on my brow as he pressed harder. Suddenly my sword slipped. The larger one came down as I rolled aside to avoid it.

He lunged but I moved quickly behind him and struck him in the back of the head with the hilt of my sword. That knocked him out. I disarmed him. The fight was shorter than I had expected. I sat on him and waited for him to wake up. He yelled as soon as his eyes open scaring me to death. I raised my sword.

"No, stop! Please don't kill me!" The coward begged.

"Why shouldn't I, liar? You broke our treaty… and with your daughter still in my palace! Tell me, is Egyptian land so precious that you would risk her life?"

"No, you didn't kill her did you?" he asked.

"As you perceived, I didn't… and I won't kill you either. Call off your men and we will work out another treaty.

Dawn…

I looked out at the horizon. Memphis was painted trice red. Once for the blood of the Hittites, once for the Ra's birth, once of the blood of the Egyptians. Victory had come with a costly price. Over half my army was dead and nearly all of the remaining were wounded… while I myself was barely scratched.

"Well, we beat them," Jouno said, putting a sweaty arm around my own grimy neck.

"Yes, we beat them.. But not without a price."

"The price of war."

"Teanna was wrong…"

"What?"

"None of us should have been here, not just Yugi. None, not us, not the villagers, not the Hittites. Not at this day at this hour… I wonder where Yugi is."

Just then, I saw a moving under a pile of dead Hittites. A small arm burst from out of the pile. A rather dirty, bloody Yugi followed soon after.

"Great Osiris! Are you alright Yugi-chan?" I exclaimed, alarmed at his state.

"Never been better! This isn't my blood. I've just been hiding here so no one would kill me!"

"You smart little boy," I smiled and helped him up.

Ryoo POV

I nearly screamed when I woke up. Suffocating decay pressed from all sides. Then I remembered that Yugi and I had been hiding under a pile of dead Hittites. I listened, no sound. Was the battle over? I peeked out. The hem of a dark red robe with white stripes brushed the pile.

I looked out farther. It was Nahtki-sama! I wiggled out of the pile.

Nahkti turned around, "Ryoo-chan?"

"Nahkti-sama!" I shouted, putting my arms around him.

"Ryoo, what are you doing here?"

"Well, the Pharaoh heard the Hittites were attacking so he went to their capitol to stop them…"

"So that's where the fool was…"

"Yeah, and then there was snow and stuff but we found out that the Hittites had gotten away and were going to Memphis so we ran here as fast as we could and Yugi and I got lost and…"

"What! The Pharaoh put in the way such danger! How could he!"

"No, really we were fine and then Yugi and I hid in a pile of dead Hittites Yugi killed and no body killed us 'cause they thought we were dead."

"Yugi is really smart isn't he…"

"Nice too!"

"Yeah. Thank Ra I found you…" he said and gave me a quick hug. "We've got to get back to Kuru Eruna, though so lets go find Maadrath and the others and get going."

Atemu Normal POV

After we had gotten the wounded to doctors and the rest of Egypt cleaned up as best we could, Yugi and I took a shower.

I now had 3 more hostages on my hands but, oh well. I felt bad that so many of the soldiers had died but Jouno tried to console me. That was the life of the ruler of Egypt: Stressful.


	10. Choices

Tale 9. Choices

I actually had another fanfic called this but it was idiotic and had a non-existent story line so I wrote this one. The points of the stories are the same though. Nahkti has to choose Ryoo or his victory over the Pharaoh and he chooses Ryoo.

This story is also to show the contrast of the two lives of Thief Nahkti and Pharaoh Atemu. As in all my fanfics, Atemu is stressed out! I understand this sort of thing because my dad is the board president in our church which is right now undergoing many problems and he is very stressed out and tired. How much worse can it be for the ruler of all Egypt! When he was first elected we were all excited and my sister and I threw a party (ehe… sort of ) for him. Soon though, things got really bad since my dad had to go to a lot of meetings and was really tired a lot. Now we wish he wasn't. I know I really shouldn't be weighing you people down with all of this information about my family, but as you see, I fully understand how things must feel for Atemu-sama seeing how much work my dad does.

Ryoo and I were playing in the room full of my loot that the thieves and I had dug quite a while ago. I was actually wearing a lot of it on me. Ryoo laughed as I chased him. He tripped on a protruding vase and tried to crawl away.  
"Oh no you don't!" I said, grabbing him by the hips. He kept laughing as I dragged him back toward me. He shoved me off when I tackled him. I grabbed a necklace and put it around his neck.

"Hey!" shouted a woman. Maadrath dropped down through the trap door. "Aren't you two a little old for dress-up?" she asked, fondling a pendant on a long necklace I was wearing.

I snorted and pulled the necklace back. "We're not dressing up!" I yelled at her. "We're just um… enjoying the loot!"  
"Feh, and I suppose Ryoo is two?" She stuck a finger at Ryoo who was trying to force some clip-earrings onto his ears-although failing miserably.  
"Hey, Ryoo! Don't you know earrings are for women?" I asked him wryly.  
"No…"  
"Anyway, you two. It's almost time for dinner. So take that ridiculous jewelry off and come up."

I scowled at Maadrath as she left.  
"She treats me like she's mother," I complained, pulling a gold wristband off.  
"Oh, I don't know. I sort of like that," Ryoo said, taking off the necklace I had put on him.  
"Yeah!" I glared at him, "That's 'cause you're a kid! Kid!" I yelled, pouncing him. Maadrath must have heard the racket because she peaked her head in and said, "Hey! You guys ever coming? The gazelle is getting cold!"  
"Sorry," I apologized fakely. "C'mon, Ryoo."

I dragged myself up and then helped Ryoo. When we got back to the others, Maadrath glared at me.  
"What took you so long? It takes you only a few hours to rob a tomb but it takes you twenty minutes to come to dinner?"  
"Feh! Don't you tell me what to do! I'm the leader and I'll do whatever I want!"  
"You're nothing without me. In fact, you'd be dead!"  
"Dead! What do you mean dead!"  
"Uh, uh, uh, don't you remember when I saved you when you were going to be impaled?" she asked, "Or is your memory that short?" she continued, flicking me in the forehead.  
"We'll I could have gotten out if it was for those stupid guards. Besides, I would never have given myself up if I hadn't been protecting _you_!"

"Well! If that's all, maybe I should have let you die!"

"Don't you say things like that to me _woman_!"

"You looking for a fight again?"

"…"

Maadrath always had the last word. It was obnoxious. I bit into the meat. It wasn't cold! Devourer take Maadrath!

Ryoo had already finished eating. He didn't really eat as much as I did but I suppose that was because he was just a kid. He snuggled me and looked up at me with this incredibly cute sleepy look.

"Okay, what are you pulling this time, Ryoo-chan?" I asked.

"Nothing, Nahkti-sama. Doesn't a guy have to right to be a little nice to you?"

"Oh, I just thought you wanted something, giving me _that _look!"

"What look…" _Now_ Ryoo looked cute because he had this idiotic blank look on his face. Was it actually physically possible for him to look mean?

"You're really attached to the kid, aren't you?" Maadrath asked me after Ryoo had _cutely _fallen asleep next to me. Did he have to be that way?

"No…"

"Then why keep him around?"

"Erm… well… because he give me a chance to relax. Unlike you!"

"That's just an excuse. I know you really care about him."

"You sure do pry into my business…"

"I'm just stating facts!"

"Facts!" I yelled so loudly that Ryoo winced in his sleep and started hugging me.

"M-mommy!" he was yelling. What the heck did the boy dream about at night anyway? I pried his arms off me after he calmed down a bit.

"Really, Nahkti. If you had a choice, what would you choose? Something that you really want or Ryoo?"

"What I want of course! If it was something important Ryoo would be insignificant!"

"Yeah… just keep telling yourself that. Just wait until it _really _happens."

"It won't happen…" I muttered to myself.

Atemu POV some time the same time the part above was

"Here's your drink, Atemu-sama," Yugi said, placing the cup down next to me.

"Thank you, Yugi," I replied.

"Ng…" he muttered, watching me sympathetically.

"I'm okay, Yugi," I replied.

"It's just… just…" Yugi said, on the brink of tears.

"Yes, I know, I have a lot of work… but that's part of the responsibility of being a ruler," I said. Yugi just broke down. I held his head in my lap. He was so soft hearted with a ba overflowing with compassion. That was why he was so special, though. Few in all the would had a soul as pure as his.

"S-sorry… Pharaoh-sama," he said, getting up and wiping his eyes.

"It's alright," I replied, "I'm very thankful that you care about me so much, Yugi-chan," I smiled.

Yugi got up and walked out of the room… to cry some more, no doubt. Poor Yugi… yet even with him and sweet Teanna's comfort I was still constantly on edge. When I was younger, I had thought ruling a kingdom was a game and the people game pieces… but as time wore on, I realized there was more to ruling than that and that people were people like myself. Teanna said I'd work myself to death someday… it was probably true but I couldn't do any less. It was my duty to do what I did. I almost felt sorry for the people feeling sorry for me. Trying to share in my pain while only making my heart sore for them.

Late at night, I went to my room. Teanna was sitting on my bed, patting Yugi head.

"You're still up, Shari?" I asked.

"I was waiting for you, my husband."

"You don't have to do that. Don't put yourself under needless pain. It would only make mine worse."

"No, I just couldn't sleep with you still working your head off over there."

"Please don't feel obligated."

"I don't feel obligated. I love you."

"Don't love me too much."

"I can't help it," Teanna replied putting her head on my shoulder. "Not while I'm being blinded by _your_ love."

I smiled. Teanna was so wonderful. I did not know of any woman more beautiful or loving than she.

"Beautiful Teanna…"

"Yugi came to me crying…"

"I know."

"He was muttering something about your stress…"

"I know."

"For Yugi's sake, try and go to bed a little earlier."

"No, I can't… not even for you I couldn't no matter how much I loved you. It's my duty. I must put my people before myself."

"You and your duty… it'll kill you someday."

I walked over to Yugi and brushed some of his tears away. Poor Yugi…

Nahkti Normal POV

I shoved Ryoo to get up when I woke the next morning. The night before, I had been thinking, and I thought maybe I had a plan. Sent by the restless spirits perhaps?

"What is it Nahkti-sama?" he asked excitedly, "Are we going on another raid?"

"Better! I think I have a way to take down the Pharaoh!"

I laid my plan out stimulatingly before the thieves. It was so fun and it made me have adrenalin rush… even thought it mad Maadrath think I was stupid.

"First, we have to disarm _the enemy_!"

"Oohhh…"

"Oh, brother."

"Be quiet Maadrath! That will be hard though, so Maadrath and I will do the important stuff…" I stopped suspensefully.

"Aww…"

"Give it a rest, Nahkti, you're a thief not a story teller!"

"But we're enjoying this!"

"I'm leaving, then!"

"Wait! No! But you're important to the plan!"

"Fine, but get to the point already!"

"Alright, alright! So Maadrath and I are going to go into the palace. I'm going to disarm the Pharaoh by taking the puzzle while he's sleeping. You guys will hide in the bushes and on my signal, you all do whatever you want! Good?"

"Yes, good, whatever…" Maadrath yawned.

"Yes, good, whatever!" I demanded, "You don't think my plan is good?"

"Well it's maybe _slightly_ better than your other ones…"

I scowled at Maadrath's back as she got up and walked away.

Atemu POV

I plopped down at the breakfast table.

"You look tired," Teanna whispered to me.

"Don't I always?"

"You look particularly tired… wait, you didn't get up in the middle of the night to work _again _did you!"

I gritted my teeth, "Yeah… I guess so…" I admitted.

She looked horrified. "Look!" she said, "Going to bed late is bad enough! Do _your people _a favor and get some sleep. Who's going to protect them if you're dead!"

"I won't die," I smiled, eating my porridge.

"That's what you say," Teanna mumbled, "When you get sick, don't say I didn't warn you."

Just then, Yugi walked up to me.

"I heard what you two said…"

"Please don't worry your head over it. It will only make me feel worse, Yugi-chan."

"Why do you do it, Atemu-sama?"

"Because I love the people."

"More than me?"

"No, just like you. I'm only doing for them what I would be doing for You, Teanna-sama, or even myself. That's what makes a good ruler."

"I wish you weren't the Pharaoh, Atemu-sama…"

"I don't always like it either, but I must do the job the gods have chosen for me, the best I can do it."

"I don't like it either."

"Well, we just have to live with fate, then."

That evening, some time after sunset, Teanna came to me.

"Hello, Teanna, shouldn't you be going to bed?" I asked.

"Yes, and you are too!" She pepped back.

I laughed, "Good one, Teanna-chan, but we both know I have lots to do."

"I'm serious!" She replied back with a look so serious that it was scary.

"Please! I have to go finish those scrolls! Let me go Teanna-chan!" I shouted as my wife dragged me across the hall by my cape.

"Don't you 'chan' me!" She shouted, "You're not working yourself to death if I can help it! Pharaoh or not, you're getting some sleep and I'll chain you to the bed if I have to, because I love you!"

"C'mon… please…"

"No!"

Yugi glared at me parentally as Teanna tossed me onto the bed.

"Let me go!"

As a response, Teanna just sat on me.

"Please!" I said, struggling.

At that, Yugi piled on me as well.

"Alright, alright, I'm beat…" I submitted, "I'll go to bed early… but _just _tonight, mind you!"

"Fine," Teanna replied, "If you get sufficient sleep tonight _and_ you don't wake up in the middle of the night, _and_ you…"

"Okay, I get the point," I replied, trying the push both slave and queen off of me, "Now if you would be so kind as to get off of me. I think you've cracked my hips and ribs enough."

Yugi stared sheepishly at me and got off. Teanna followed him… less apologetically, though.

I hoped I could get up again after Teanna and Yugi fell asleep, but they both refused to even lay down until I relaxed my body and closed my eyes.

When finally I absolutely could not keep my eyes open, Teanna got in the bed with me. She hummed a tuneless song as she ran her fingers down my face, pushing down my eyelids. I heard a soft thump as Yugi laid down on his bed.

"You two are terrible, you know that?" I whispered.

"No worse than you, darling," Teanna muttered back.

Nahkti Normal POV

I peeked into the window.

"All clear!" I whispered to Maadrath. "They're all sleeping!"

"Well what did you expect, hippo brain? They'd be having a party?"

The thieves were hiding in the bushes, tying up the sedated guards. I gave them a thumbs up and I saw Beneset flash me a smile. I climbed in the window and then helped Maadrath and Ryoo in. Maadrath walked behind Teanna and cupped her mouth just as she woke.

I pulled out a knife and reached for the sennen puzzled. Teanna, thinking I was about to kill the Pharaoh, shook her head vigorously, begging me not to kill him.

Taking the cord, I cut it but just as I did, Atemu woke and punched me. The sennen puzzle went flying out the window but I was on top of Atemu in an instant.

"Any last words, Pharaoh?" I asked.

Atemu POV

Of all the nights to be asleep!

"Any last words, Pharaoh?" Nahkti asked.

I breathed raggedly, thinking of curses and such but I turned around and said, "Don't hurt my people!"

"What?"

"I said, whatever you do, don't hurt my people!"

Nahkti stumbled back, he hadn't expected that. I sat up groggily. I heard a screech from the female thief as Teanna bit her hand.

"Don't hurt Atemu-sama!" She shouted, throwing herself on me. Yugi woke, due to the commotion and jumped the female thief. She dodged, and Yugi crashed into Mahaado and Mana, who had just entered the room.

"Pharaoh-sama! Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine, get Nahkti!" I grunted.

"Contact the other priests!" Mahaado shouted at Mana who shot out of the room.

Nahkti POV

He just had to wake up didn't he? And what did he mean 'don't hurt my people'? He had absolutely no respect for mine.

I stuck my torso out the window and waved a signal to Beneset, telling him the plan had not worked. I turned around just in time to dodge a magic attack from Mahaado.

Yugi was attempting to attack Maadrath.

Ryoo looked around confusedly. Why he had no desire to kill the Pharaoh was a mystery to me. For some reason he thought his weird loyalty to the 'son of Amun' would pay off. Mahaado rushed me in an effort to get a closer attack but Ryoo slammed him, trying to protect me. Mahaado hit his head and went out like a light.

"Did I kill you!" Ryoo rushed to his side. "Are you dead?"

If I didn't know the boy better, I'd say he was rather fickle about picking sides.

I peered out the window again, the other priests had arrived but my thieves had intercepted them at the palace entrance.

Just then, Atemu jumped on me.

"Pharaoh!" I heard Teanna and Yugi scream. I stumbled and threw my weight to one side just in time to avoid hitting my head on a table.

Darn it all! I couldn't fight in such a small room. I shoved Atemu, pushing out of the room. He stumbled and fell down the staircase.

"Husband!"

"Pharaoh-sama!"

"Brute!" the queen yelled at me. She threw herself on me and started pounding me with all her might. If the situation hadn't been so dangerous, I would have laughed. I grabbed one slender wrist, then the other.

"If that's all you've got, you're doomed!" I muttered at her. Twisting both her arms at the same time, I threw her screaming to the ground. I headed down the stairs in time to see the Pharaoh get up and the thieves and priests come in.

3rd party POV (Gomen, the battle would be too difficult to describe any other way)

Mana leapt on Karia who ran around yelling.

Maadrath had come out of the room in time to stop the queen's attacks.

"You're going down!" Priest Seto said to Horesus and Hequeth.

"Bring it on, pretty boy!" Horesus yelled.

"Pretty boy! I'll show you!"

"Oh, yeah? What have you got?"

Hequeth sweat dropped embarrassedly as he watched Horesus and Seto argue.

Sebnekt grunted as Karimu punched him. Sebnekt turned around and charged Karimu who charged as well.

"I'm here! No I'm here!" Isrosis laughed as she moved from place to place.

"Set take you girl! Stand still and fight me!" Priestess Isis demanded.

"Sorry! He's already got me!" Isrosis giggled, appearing on Isis's shoulder. Isis screamed as the added weight caused her to fall.

Sashi fought Shaada who were rather evenly matched…

"I'm waiting, get up, Pharaoh… _if you have the strength_!" The thief lord taunted as the young king struggled to rise.

"Sama!" Shouted both boys from the balcony.

"Hey!" Said Yugi, "Which side are you on?"

"Um.. Nahkti-sama's side…"

"Then how come you aren't killing me?"

"Good question… I don't know…"

"Doh!"

Teanna swung around, blocking a blow from Maadrath who whirled as well in turn.

"What a lovely dance…" Maadrath teased.

"Hardly!" The queen replied, "You dance terribly!" She kicked out at Maadrath's stomach.

The thief queen grunted as she slammed against the balcony railing. "I'll have you know I am one of the best dancers in all of Egypt's taverns!"

"Taverns?" Teanna mocked as she dodged a punch from Maadrath. "If you were _really _good. You'd be dancing in some king's palace!" Teanna moaned Maadrath swiftly twisted an arm.

"I'd never be some king's pet!" Maadrath shot back.

The queen jabbed her free arm at Maadrath while she was talking, knocking her back. The thief queen screamed as she fell off the balcony. She looked up, surprised as the king's wife caught her. Teanna pulled off her belt.

"I couldn't let you fall. Maybe you'll dance for me someday… but unfortunately, I can't help you up either. " She tied the belt tightly around Maadrath's wrists then wound it around the bars of the balcony then tying it off. "This should relieve the stress on your arms."

"I'll never dance for you!"

Teanna then ran down the stairs to aid her king husband.

Atemu POV

Nahkti swung my fist at me but I pulled out a knife I had with me and cut his arm.

"Nahkti-sama!" Ryoo yelled and came scampering down the right staircase.

"Don't hurt my Pharaoh!" The queen yelled, putting her me. I felt so tired. I just let her support me.

"You can't protect him, woman!"

Nahkti pulled out a knife and prepared to attack, but the queen had grabbed Ryoo and was shielding me with him.

"W-what? What are you doing, dearest?"

"Protecting you!"

"But you can't use Ryoo! What if he kills him?"

"No, I know he won't. I've been observing and Nahkti wouldn't trade the world for his little servant."

Nahkti Normal POV

What the Pharaoh had the nerve to use Ryoo-chan as a shield. Well! I'd show him!

"Release him at once!" I ordered.

"No!" the queen yelled. "Stop this madness now and Ryoo will be returned as well as Maadrath!"

I gritted my teeth. So this was what Maadrath had meant. I could kill all three and then I'd have my revenge on the Pharaoh. I'd killed countless humans in the past to reach my goal. Ryoo was no different!

I thrust my knife at the lot of them. Ryoo looked up at me and gasped. I almost stopped but I couldn't. I couldn't stop at this chance now. Just then, I missed. If it was me or the Pharaoh, I'd never know but the knife only cut Ryoo, Atemu, and the queen's arms. Ryoo stared up at me sadly but didn't protest. Poor Ryoo, he knew me too well. I raised the knife again but stopped. I saw blood dripping from the wound I had inflicted on Ryoo…

What was happening to me! I had seen many people, even Ryoo's blood before. How was this any different? I gritted my teeth… but stopped. That day. The day I first met Ryoo. I was just going to finish him off, but I didn't. There was something special about him. I dropped the knife. This time, Ryoo's eyes followed it until it clinked on the floor.

"Let… him… go!"

The queen released Ryoo who stumbled over and embraced me.

"Now, promise you do no more trouble, call off your thieves, and leave peacefully, and we'll release Maadrath as well," the Teanna added.

"Stop!" I ordered. "STOP IT NOW!" I yelled when they kept fighting. Shocked, both priest and thief dropped what they were doing and turned to see what I wanted.

"Sebnekt, fetch Maadrath!" I ordered.

At my orders, the thieves all lined up at the door to leave.

"Pharaoh-sama," I asked turning around. Why had I called him that? I had never used that title for anyone before, "Could I ask you some questions?"

"You had better not be doing anything tricky, Thief!" The queen shot back.

"Shh! You may, Nahkti-san."

"Pharaoh, why did you tell me you wanted me to treat your people right?"

"Because, I know what kind of man you are. You wouldn't treat the people fairly. You'd play them like toys. The would be free or even be humanely treated."

"H-how can you talk about human rights?" I asked, "How could you! Your _father _ordered the death of all of my people. The priests and the soldiers they just charged in. They killed mercilessly. Not just the men, mind you. They killed _all_ of them. Exterminated them. _Women _and _children_ _begging_ on their _knees_. _They_ had _no _rights! All this was happening and you and your father just stood there, emotionless. You were the ones playing us like toys!"

"Atemu wasn't even born then! And it was his uncle not even his father who ordered your people killed. Your people were thieves and murderers," the queens shouted at me,.

"No! No! No! I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate you all!" I raved, my heart beating so hard I was afraid it would tear right through me chest.

"And what do you know about equality? I know how you treat them!" Teanna added, indicating Ryoo and the thieves, "If they had rights, why would you refer to Ryoo as your own or the thieves as _your _thieves?"

"No really, it's quite alright!" Ryoo broke in, trying to calm both me and the queen down, "I don't mind. Thief-sama doesn't say that because he thinks that I am his property… please try to understand. His tears are many and his pain is great. He would hold on to us like this because we are all that is left of anyone who had cared about him in this way. Nahkti-sama's feelings and motives are pure, even if his hands and heart aren't."

Ryoo walked up and hugged me. "My Thief-sama cares very much about me and the others. I care about him."

I looked down at Ryoo. He hugged me… and hugged me… and… I glared at him.

"You can let go now, Ryoo!"

"I was just trying to make a point! Do you want Atemu-sama to get it or not!"

Teanna and Atemu both laughed at us. I scowled at them.

"C'mon! We don't have all day!" I yelled a the thieves, "let's get going." We walked out the door.

"I swear, Pharaoh, I'll get you some day! Neither my soul nor the restless souls of the villagers of Kuru Eruna will rest until we have proper revenge!"


	11. Pharaoh to the rescue

Tale 10. Pharaoh to the rescue

Atemu POV

The battle was in high heat and Yugi and I were getting tired.

"Pharaoh-sama, is there no end to them….?"

"There are a lot. I never thought that the Nubians could beat us. They have such primitive weapons but they are overcoming us in sheer number."

"Maybe…" Yugi gasped for breath as he slashed out with his dagger, "It's because all their men are trained to fight and we only have one army. The famers don't know anything about fighting they're only trained to farm."

"Good idea… if we ever get out of this mess maybe we could train the farmers." I grunted, shoving on warrior off of me. "I wonder why everyone always seems to attack _us _?"

"Maybe… it's because we have the best technology and power and they're jealous or because they're the characters and I need something to make a good story… bwaha!."

"Hm…" Just then, I saw a flash of a red cloak and silver hair. I moaned. Not now! Then I saw the other thieves, but the Nubians were attacking them! They must have thought they were citizens, well, that took care of that problem.

Nahkti Normal POV

"Set take it all…" I muttered. "So much for that plan." We had arrived just in time to see Memphis being attacked by black skinned savages.

"What do we do now?" Maadrath asked.

But before I could answer her, the Nubians began attacking us too!

"Wait!" I yelled, "Stop! I'm not with them!"

"Coward!" Maadrath yelled. "They can't speak Egyptian! Quit wining and fight if you ever want to get by to the hideout alive."

As usual… the woman was right and I pulled out my knives and began fighting for my life.

Finally, we got far enough away from the fighting to be able to escape but when we did a head count, we were short one…

"Set! Where is Ryoo?"

The thieves stared at each other strangely but no one could find him.

"I've got to go back and get him!"

"No! You can't!" Maadrath grabbed my arm. "It was pure luck we got away this time. You'll be killed!"

"And Ryoo won't?"

"Stop it! You're acting… acting… weak!"

"Weak? How dare you call me that, woman? You're the one acting weak."

"Your risking your life. It's not worth it!"

"Look, Maadrath," I turned around, "I respect your judgment but I can't hide if Ryoo's being decapitated by savages right now, okay?"

"Alright," She shoved me and smiled. "Be stupid, and get your little pet."

"Okay, Beneset," I ordered, "Help Maadrath get the others back to the hideout. I'll be back, I promise!" Then I ran off.

Of course, as Maadrath had predicted, as soon as I placed one foot within the city gates, I was instantaneously attacked by worked up Nubians.

"Set take you all!" I screamed. Ignoring the fact that I could be saying 'you've got an ugly mug' as far as they were concerned. "Ryoo-chan! Where is my Ryoo!" I yelled. Just then, I saw him.

"Thief-sama? Thief-sama where did you go?"

"Over here, Ryoo!" I stabbed a man beside me and he dropped me.

"Where did you go?"

"Sorry, we left without you!" I grabbed him and ran but four burly men stood in our way. Ryoo ducked away from them but I wasn't so lucky. Seeing I was in trouble he started running back.

"Leave! Idiot! Get out of here!" I yelled at him but he thick headedly ignored me. He was captured too. But, they didn't kill us. I wondered why. The battle quickly ended, strangely enough.

Just then, the Pharaoh walked up to us and he and a tall Nubian began conversing in a strange language. I finally figured out that it was a very crude, old, sort of Egyptian. Piecing together what I heard, I discovered that the Nubians wanted to bargain with the Pharaoh using me! How funny! They must have thought I was some sort of high ranking official with all my jewelry. They were in for a surprise! The Pharaoh didn't want me at all… uh oh… but just as the Pharaoh had decided they could kill me, Yugi stopped him.

"No!"

"What? Yugi?"

"You can't let them kill Ryoo!"

Oh, yes, I had forgotten about him. He had a strange little friendship with Yugi.

"But.."

"Please… get them to let them go!"

"Well… I'll think about it!"

Yugi got tears in his eyes. Wimp. But I smiled. Little Yugi had just bought me some time.

"Get up!" The tall Nubian ordered me. I stood up. Then I grinned at him… and spat in his face. I got a buffet on the head but he didn't kill me and I was as satisfied as a noble after a big banquet.

Ryoo noticed my unnatural grin and glared at me strangely. I grinned at him and he gave me a 'shut up' look. Maadrath was influencing the boy badly. I stopped smiling and looked away. The tall Nubian ordered us to walked and we started south.

"What are we going to do, Nahkti?" Ryoo asked. "There's no way we can escape. These guys almost took out the Pharaoh's entire army! Even you can't do that!"

"Hey! Don't underestimate me! The Pharaoh's soldiers are dolts!"

"No talk!" One shouted loudly at me.

"Okay, okay, geez!" I yelled back. He glared daggers at me and I covered my head. Ryoo rolled his eyes. Where in Set's name did he get such an attitude. Must be Maadrath.

When evening came, we set up camp… or I set up camp. Mean black savages… When I was finally done, they tied me up next to Ryoo and began cooking dinner. As the smell of roasting meat floated toward me I started drooling. I hadn't had a bite to eat since breakfast.

"Ryoo…"

"Yeah?"

"Are you hungry?…"

"Don't get any ideas. Maadrath says you are always getting in trouble."

"Eh? What does it matter what Maadrath says? I'm the leader!" I glared at him and he sighed. Seeing that complaining didn't get me anywhere I sighed too.

The moon came up. Our Nubian captives went to bed…. And… didn't feed us!

"What?"

"Shhh! You're going to get in trouble!"

Atemu POV

"Wh… why didn't you save them, Atemu-sama?"

"They don't matter!"

"What do you mean 'they don't matter'? Ryoo's my friend. You would have done something if Jouno-san were in their place!"

"I may or may not have!"

"But…"

"Look! It was hard for me to but politically neither Nahkti nor Ryoo matters! I want Nahkti dead anyway. Besides, it's Ryoo's own fault that he follows the man around."

"Pharaoh-sama…"

"Yugi, I couldn't do anything just then without endangering the empire. We should be grateful they gave us some time. Just sit tight. I'll figure something out."

"Okay…"

I watched as Yugi's eyes started watering. Why did he always have to be so pathetically cute whenever I was trying to be serious? I walked over and gave him a hug. Yugi dug his forehead into my shoulder.

Nahkti POV

I looked over. Ryoo was asleep. I will be okay. I will be okay. I told myself, I am the infamous thief king after all… Set take it all! How in Osiris's name is a guy supposed to escape when he was bound hand in foot in a camp full of husky black savages! I growled and spat in the dirt. Then I laid down and tried to sleep.

The next morning, we kept on going. By evening, to my despair, we hadn't reached our destination. "Great Amun! Why me?" I muttered to myself. I knew what Maadrath would say:

"Because! You were stupid enough to go back for the brat! If you had just stayed like I said… blah blah blah blah…"

Well… I had an attachment to the um… 'brat'. I would get lonely… no, bored without him. Set! I was arguing with myself! I guess Maadrath was influencing me too. Naw… I just needed a drink. The sun was hot enough to cook an elephant and I hadn't had any water since last night. I walked over to the tall Nubian and tapped him on the shoulder. I coughed twice and said, "Sir, water, please?"

He only glared at me in response. I glared back. He glared back. The entire crowd stopped moving. Ryoo sighed. I kicked him. Ryoo shut up. Seeing that no one was moving, the tall Nubian replied, "One. Tonight." Then ordered everyone to keep going. Then whacked me across the jaw. I was ticked enough to fight an alligator but that guy was tough enough to fight two so I got back in line.

When the moon was high, we actually reached a village. It was a pretty good village. Some women came out. One, who was wearing big earrings walked up to the tall Nubian and the began to converse quickly.

The tall Nubian tied me up outside his hut and left me there…. And he didn't give me any water! I was about to start complaining but thought better of it. Later, though, a young girl around Ryoo's age came out of the hut carrying a gourd of water. She smiled at Ryoo and handed it to him. She stroked his pale hair curiously. Then said something that sounded mushy like 'you poor little boy' or something. Ryoo smiled back at her. She handed him the gourd of water.

"Mima!" A loud voice from inside the hut.

The girl yelled something back, patted Ryoo on the head and ran back into the hut.

"She's cute isn't she?" Ryoo asked with a dreamy look on his face.

I grabbed the gourd from him. "Feh! Mush!" I replied and drank rapidly, then handed the rest to him.

I laid down and Ryoo put his head on my chest like a pillow. There was a gurgle.

"Oh, that was my stomach…" I told Ryoo.

"Yeah, I'm hungry too."

Just then, the girl, I supposed that Mima was her name, came outside and handed Ryoo two large, flat pieces of bread. Why did she keep giving _him_ stuff? I grinned at her and she glared at me. Definitely the tall Nubian's daughter. I sighed and she went back into the hut. Ryoo handed me one of the pieces of bread. I ate it hungrily. Then we went to sleep.

The next morning Atemu POV

"I've got it!"

"What? What?" Yugi asked.

"I have a plan! I'm going to get your buddies out by buying them with water!"

"Eh? Water?"

"Well… Isn't that what Egypt's famous for around here?"

"I suppose…"

"Okay! Then it's settled then. Let's go get some big pots of water, put them on a wagon and go to Nubia!"

"Sure!"

Nahkti Normal POV

The days passed slowly. I had lots of work. Hard work. While Ryoo and Mima's friendship grew. I rolled my eyes at that. It was so annoying. He got to play with her all day. I wondered how it happened anyway. They couldn't even speak the same language.

One day, after my tasks, I went to find Ryoo. I found him. He was with Mima… again. I peeked around a tree. Mima was at a grinding stone and Ryoo was feeding grain into it for her to make into flour. I kept watching. I had nothing better to do.

Mima smiled and reached over to her side. She pulled some flowers out of her belt and began braiding them into Ryoo's hair. Ryoo began to giggle. She gave him a hug.

Suddenly, the tall Nubian stalked out of the hut… and saw her.

"Mima!"

"Papa…"

The tall Nubian was angry. He tore Ryoo away from her and yelled at her. Obviously he didn't want her talking… or hugging… or both… the captives. Then the man knocked her across the face. I could tell from the tone of his voice like he was saying something like 'how many times do I have to tell you that!'. Ryoo, frightened for Mima's safety bowed in front of the tall Nubian and began apologizing. The tall Nubian only ignored him and threw him aside. Then Mima began trying to protect Ryoo. The situation was getting worse and worse. Then, the tall Nubian began beating Ryoo and Mima!

This was uncalled for. Nobody hurt Ryoo but me! I ran in there just as he threw a punch at Mima.

"Stop it!" I yelled and grabbed his arm. Ryoo ran over and put his arms around Mima.

The Nubian yelled curses at me. "You not do! You go!" he yelled at me.

"No!" I replied, "Don't hurt Ryoo and Mima!"

"I do what I want! You captive! You go!"

I shoved him down. Mima gasped but I didn't care. Let the man do what he wanted. I was ready. I was sick of being ordered around by him. The man was quickly up again. He punched me. Okay…. I wasn't quite as prepared as I thought. That punch had just knocked the wind out of me but I quickly got up again. He aimed another punch at me but I dodged it and kicked him. By then, many more of the Nubian had gathered around. The wrestled me to the ground and tied me up. The tall Nubian dug his foot into my scalp but I refused to apologize.

Fed up, he turned around and dragged Mima into the hut. Ryoo was scared and didn't know what to do.

I knew one thing, though, it would take a lot more than determination to get out of this mess.

A few days later…

I was sitting behind the hut watching the people in the village eat dinner. I was drooling again. After that incident with the tall Nubian and his daughter, she hadn't been able to come see Ryoo and without the extra food she gave us I was powerfully hungry. The rations we got weren't enough for me. Seeing I was dangerous, they had always kept me chained up so I couldn't go look for food after my tasks either.

I sighed. "Man, Ryoo, are we in a fix!"

"Mima…"

"Huh?"

"Mima. She's in trouble and it's all my fault."

"No it's not. It's her fault!"

"I'll never see Mima again."

"Shut up! It was a stupid relationship anyway."

Just then, we saw a movement in the entrance of the village. I sat up. It was the Pharaoh! So, Yugi had convinced him to come save us after all! What? No army? He was alone with Yugi but he had a wagon full of jars. I wondered what was in them. He had better have a good plan or he'd be squashed like a bug.

"You!" The tall Nubian exclaimed. "You want trouble? I think you better if you stay."

"I'm here to bargain for the hostages," Atemu replied calmly.

"You ready give up?"

"I'm not giving up. I have something you might want." He showed him the jars.

"What in jars? We no want jars!"

"There's water. Fresh clean Nile water. I think you want this. Come take a look if you want."

The tall Nubian walked over and tasted the water. "This good water! I say you give land although."

This guy was getting hard to understand.

"I say you need water. I'm not giving you any land! Why should I?"

"We strong. You weak. We take you land."

Just then, I saw Mima run out of the hut. No! She shouldn't interfere now!

Mima walked up to her father and began begging. The girl had more spunk than I thought. From the fire light, I could see she had bruises on her mahogany skin. The tall Nubian yelled and shouted at her and Mima kept repeating the same thing.

"Girl say you give water we give captives. She say boy she friend. What you think Pharaoh?" He laughed and said some words to her. Mima said something in reply. Ryoo shook his head vigorously. What? Had the girl been teaching him her language?

"She said perhaps they trade only me but I couldn't go back to the others without you!" Ryoo explained.

I rolled my eyes. Ryoo was trying to be responsible.

"Maybe, we could make peace; seeing you daughter is friends with Ryoo," Atemu offered.

"You small captive come!" The tall Nubian ordered Ryoo.

"Mima…" Ryoo's eyes shone.

"Ryoo…" Mima put her arms around him, much to the disappointment of her father.

Then, Ryoo began talking softly to Mima in the strange language of the Nubians. It was rough and broken and he obviously only knew a little but I was amazed at it anyway.

Ryoo POV

"But… why… only save…. You?" Mima asked… well, actually, she said more. I just didn't understand it.

"I…" I fought for a word, "he…"

"He what?"

"I… I his… captive?" She stared at me strangely. That didn't sound right. "I like him?" That wasn't quite right either. "Um…"

She said something I didn't understand. I raised an eyebrow. She pointed at one of the Nubians and his spear and then at her father.

I wasn't sure what she meant but maybe…

Then she tried pointing at a boy who was holding a box belonging to her father and then to her father.

I nodded my head slowly but keeping a confused look on my face.

"In-between?"

"Yes!" I replied.

She stared at me… this was not going well… I didn't really have so much of an attachment to Nahkti… Just a weird sort loyalty since I owed him.

"Ryoo…"Atemu said, "What are you saying to her? Let's just get this over with before he changes his mind.

"I have to save Thief-sama."

"No, you can come with me. I'll take care of you and you can be with Yugi… You really want this."

I nodded. I really shouldn't ask so much.

"How much do you want for the other captive?" The Pharaoh asked.

"Land."

"How about I give you some things from the land."

"What?"

"Grain, water…"

"You give us much water. We give you captive."

"Alright. I give you water like this each moon."

"Alright."

Nahkti POV

I got up and walked over there.

"You had better be grateful, thief," The Pharaoh hissed at me. "You have just earned me a lot of trouble."

We all stayed at the village one more night and then left the next morning. Atemu and Yugi hopped on their camels and started riding away.

"Wait! You're going to make us walk all the way back!" I demanded.

"Yes! Why not? You've caused me enough problems! And maybe this can teach you how much Ryoo really cares about you!"

I raised an eyebrow at the kid who shrugged in response.

"We've got a long way back," I muttered as started.

We walked for a long time and took a nap around noon. Ra cursed Pharaoh! Did he have to make me walk… he could have at least given me some water! Set take it all!

We did not have to much trouble though. Around the third day, Ryoo started to become exhausted.

"C'mon! It's just a little farther!"

"I don't know if I can do it!"

Ryoo sat down.

"Get up you weakling!"

"I'm too tired."

"We can't rest Ryoo! It was by luck we happened upon that spring. If we don't get back to Kuru Eruna soon, we'll run out of water!"

I looked down. Ryoo was asleep. He never slept that fast. He must be _really _tired. I sighed and picked him up like a little ball of Ryoo.

I wondered why I even kept him around. It was sure save me a whole lot of trouble. Man! Ryoo hugged my neck. Oh cute ness u. I guess it was because Ryoo was so nice and … well… good... Compared to the others in my band. I smiled and Ryoo did too.


	12. Day of Hathor

Tale 11. Day of Hathor

I don't know if there really is a holiday for the goddess of love in Egypt. I'm just making it up. It's supposed to be a valentines day thingamajiger. I know that Beneseth has never flirted with Maadrath in the other parts of the story but I just forgot to add it. That's why I'm writing this fic.

Maadrath POV

"Good morning, Maadrath," Beneseth said.

"Good morning, kid," I replied.

"Maadrath, you know I don't like it when you call me that. I'm only a bit younger than you," Beneseth said with a hurt look in his eyes.

What was his problem? Well, I knew his problem. He had a major crush on me. It was so weird. I never thought I'd fall in love with him. When I was young, a couple of men tried to force themselves on me. I just barely got away with my virginity, much less my shirt. After that day I swore I'd never fall in love with any man. I could fool them and play them with my sexiness but I never let any have me. _Especially_ Nahkti. Beneseth was different. He might only be a bit younger than me but he could be rather naïve and silly about some things in the world despite his prowess with the spear, and the bow and arrow ( a bit like Asok in DilbertO.o). Despite myself, I found that I was falling for him. He had never tried to dominate me or force me to do anything. I kept pushing him around and yelling whenever he was around because I didn't want him to know because I could never trust a man. I sighed and stared at him. Beneseth smiled at me. Did he know?

Beneseth POV

Maadrath stared at me with a ruffled look and I smiled at her. Nahkti had told me she liked me as well as I did her but it didn't seem that way to me. She would always be so rude around me. Calling me 'kid' and treating me as badly as she did Ryoo… maybe worse.

I had asked her out a few times but she always laughed me off and told me she was too old for me. The day of Hathor was coming soon. Hathor was the goddess of love and birth. It would be great if Maadrath would go with me to the city and be with me that night.

It would hopeless, though. Even I couldn't imagine Maadrath every carrying my child. I would go talk to Nahkti. I always did. It was stupid. He hardly knew how to deal with women except to just dominate them all the time and even he couldn't dominate Maadrath. Oh well… he was better than nothing.

"Huh? What's with the long face, Beneseth?" Nahkti asked me as I approached.

"It's Maadrath-sama…"

He laughed, cutting me off, "Just ignore her and drop whatever affections you have towards her. She does like you but you'll never get to her. I'd just let her make the first move, if anything's going to happen at all."

"But, Nahkti, the Festival of Hathor is in a few days and I want Maadrath to go with me to the city. I know I could show her how it is between us but she refuses to spend time with me alone."

"Well… maybe we… naw, that'll never work. Maadrath would see right through it."

"What?" I asked, "We could try!"

"Leave it to me. How many more days?"

"It's in three days, Nahkti-sama."

"Alright, Beneseth-kun. I'll tell her the morning of the third day. Good?"

"Aye! Thank you so much Nahkti!"

Nahkti POV

I wasn't sure it would work but Beneseth wanted to take Maadrath out so much. Maadrath could never refuse a dare. That's what I would do. Beneseth was so inexperienced. I had given up on Maadrath long ago. But then, Beneseth's feeling towards her were very strong, and I had known love once. You can't help yourself. You just have to be with that person no matter what.

3 days later

I stretched and threw some water on my face. "Good morning, Beneseth," I yawned as he walked by. Today was the day.

"Maadrath," I said when we sat down for breakfast.

"What is it Nahkti?"

"I have a dare for you."

"A dare!"

"You aren't scared, are you?"

"Ha! I could easily do any challenge you give me."

Good, Maadrath was getting mad. Now she would have to accept to save face. "Any?"

"Just name it!"

"I want you to let Beneseth take you to the festival."

"What the heck!"

"Yes! Go with him!"

"But, I… I," she glared at Beneseth who grinned nervously.

"You said you'd accept."

"Well! I do!"

"Then good!" I winked at Beneseth who gazed at me thankfully.

Maadrath POV

Set take it! Nahkti had just screwed up all my plans! Actually, I had planned to take Beneseth to the festival to explain how I felt to him. Obviously, he had similar ideas and got Nahkti in on them. Could it be possible we thought alike?… nah!

Beneseth gave me puppy eyes.

I slapped him. "Don't get any ideas, _kid_!" I growled. If I was going to get my feeling across to a guy, I was going to do it _my_ way. That's how I _always_ did it. Beneseth shouldn't get too hopeful. He and Nahkti had already messed up my plans. Nahkti…

"C'mon, kid," I grabbed his wrist and we got on a horse.

It was high noon when we reached the city. Many of the celebrations had already started. People were kissing and making out. Gross!

Beneseth hugged my waist and put his head on my shoulder.

Grrr… "Stop it!" I screeched at him.

"Wha-what, Maadrath?" He asked.

"Freaking let go of me!"

"What? I'm just tired from that vigorous ride. You didn't have to push the horse so hard."

"P-push the horse?" I asked, somewhat oblivious. I looked down. The poor horse was exhausted. Darn it! I did that a lot when I was mad. And Beneseth wasn't trying to do anything to me. Double darn it, I was being paranoid. "Uh, yeah, sorry. We should go get some water for the horse.

Meanwhile… somewhere in the palace Atemu POV

"Ahhhh! Vacation!" I said and leaned back in the throne. Just then I heard a scream.

"Seto! You perv! Let go of me!"

"But Aishisu-saaaaannnnn!….."

A very angry Aishisu came into the throne room dragging a Seto attached to her arm. She was actually a lot stronger than she looked.

She panted a bit then said, "Pharaoh-sama! Make him let go of me!"

"Seto-kun," I sighed, "Let Aishisu go."

"But! Cousin Atemu!"

"You will not address me that way in public High Priest Seto! Now release Aishisu-san!" I ordered loudly.

Seto let go.

Aishisu straightened her crinkled robes and stalked out of the room.

"Seto," I said, "You need to stop flirting with Aishisu. It's illegal."

Seto looked depressed. "I… I just can't help it. Especially today. Everyone else has a girlfriend, and, and, you've got Teanna. Cousin! You know she's been my crush since I was five!"

I patted him on the back. "I know cousin Seto, I know. Why don't you go hang out with Mahaado. He doesn't have a girlfriend since he's a priest too."

"Me? Hang out with _that wimp_!" Seto stood up and brushed himself off angrily. "I'd sooner hang out with that dog, Jouno!"

I laughed a little as Seto pranced arrogantly out of the room.

I walked out to the balcony where Teanna was watching the people partying. "Love is in the air, _Shari_," I smiled and put an arm around her waist.

"Indeed, dearest," She smiled back.

"Hey, since I have the day off, do you want to go down there, in disguise and goof around a bit?"

"With _that_ hair?" She asked, with a wry look on her face. She flipped my bangs. "Of course. Sounds fun," She replied and pulled the crown from my brow. "Let's go!"

Teanna kissed me.

"Karim," I said, on the way out, "could you do me a favor and keep an eye on Seto. He's really pushing it today."

"Pushing it?"

"Yeah, he's really after Aishisu."

"Oh, dear. Alright. On more thing, Pharoah," he said.

"Yes."

Karim smiled. "You know what you and the queen are doing is just as improper as what Seto does."

I smiled back. "I guess I'm just as mischievous as I used to be, huh?" I grinned, remembering the many times I had eluded my teachers and nannies.

"C'mon, husband," Teanna said, and we headed out the secret door.

Back at Kuru Eruna NahktiPOV

I hoped Maadrath and Beneseth would have a good time. To be honest, though, I wasn't so sure they would. I had really ticked Maadrath off and she was probably blaming it on Beneseth. Sweet Osiris, I hoped the boy would be alright. Maybe tricking her wasn't the way.

"Nahkti-sama, how come you didn't go to the festival too?" Ryoo asked,

"I'm sure there are lots of girls there that would love to flirt with you."

"No, Ryoo-chan," I replied, "I can't ever go back to Memphis… not for love, anyway. It brings back too many sad memories."

"Memories? What do you mean, Nahkti-sama?"

"I don't want to talk about it," I replied, and hugged my knees, tears threatened. I turned away.

"Do you mean that girl, she was very pretty, the one you said belonged to the Queen?"

"I said, I didn't want to talk about it!" I screamed at him. I was going to hit him again but the tears were about to brim over. I whirled around and stalked away. I couldn't let Ryoo see me cry. Set take Ryoo! Why did he have to bring back the memories I was trying to forget, especially today?

Maadrath POV

"So, we're here," I stated, after Beneseth finished watering the horse, "What do you want to do now?"

"Well, it's about lunch time, want to get something to eat?" he asked.

"Hmm…" I glared at him.

"Uh, since I guess I'm taking you out I'm paying… of course."

"What the!" I demanded, "Of course we're each paying for our own food, don't get any ideas!" and I dragged him away.

Later…

I bit into my bread angrily.

"Maadrath…" Beneseth said.

"What?" I demanded

"Are you alright… I mean, I'm sorry… sorry that Nahkti and I tricked you. I didn't mean it to hurt you… couldn't you just enjoy the day, now that we're here?"

"Beneseth… it's just… I…" I stuttered. Just then someone walked by… someone I knew… very well… "Waaaa! Queen! What the heck are you doing here!" I demanded.

"Maadrath!" Teanna replied, shocked, "Uh, keep it down. I'm in disguise!"

"Disguise for what?" I demanded, "What are you doing that's illegal? Besides, since we're all here, give me one good reason why I shouldn't kick you goody-two-shoes butt right now."

"Believe me Maadrath, if I could, I'd be arresting you and Beneseth right now but I sort of am…" she looked around suspiciously, "doing something illegal."

I almost killed myself laughing. The queen? That goodie-goodie bitch? "Wait a sec," I said, "Aren't you royalty? Can't you do just about anything you want?"

"Anthing…" she mused, "Almost, anything."

"What do you mean?" I asked, surprised, "What _can't_ you do?"

She laughed, "I guess, you're right, but it's not so much 'can't'."

"Well, then why not, and what exactly is it that you're doing?"

"It's not proper."

"What's not proper."

"Just wandering about like this."

"What's wrong with that, especially on a day like this?"

"Especially on a day like this! If anyone sees us…"

"If anyone sees you what? You're the queen. You're husband's the king, he wouldn't arrest you for whatever you're doing."

"Well… that's just it. He is too."

"Maadrath! Beneseth!" It was the Pharaoh.

"What!" we both demanded.

"Nothing, I'm just surprised to see you," he replied with his arms crossed and 'I'm the Pharaoh and you're not' look.

"Would someone please explain this to me?" I moaned.

"Well, Maadrath, it's very improper for a king who is considered an avatar of Heru and a queen who is considered an avatar of Isis to be just out here like common people."

"Heh, you two have big egos."

"That's really not the point. It's more of an uspoken code. We'd loose the people's trust in our leadership if we just went around and did stuff like normal people. I know it's hard for you to understand but to a certain degree it is illegal," Atemu finished.

I stared at him skeptically.

"Believe me, Maadrath," Teanna said, "Sometimes, we wish we had the freedom you did."

"But what do you mean? You can do what ever you want right?" I still didn't get it.

"We could… I suppose," The Pharaoh mused, "But that would throw the kingdom into chaos and disorder."

"And you really care about that?"

"Well, I'm the Pharaoh, it's the job the gods gave me, of course I do!" He said very loudly. Some people stared at us.

Teanna gasped. "We'd better keep moving," She whispered to her husband as the slipped away. She… wanted to have the difficult life that we had. I'd give anything to be able to live in a palace, wear fine clothes and jewelry, and have servants wait on you hand and foot. Who didn't? Or was there more to this "Pharaoh" thing than I knew about?

Seto POV

I hid behind the bushes watching Aishisu. She was watering the flowers around the temple. Wiping her brow, she sat down by a nearby fountain. She had removed her long cloak and I could easily see her graceful tanned arms. I smiled.

"Seto!" An angry voice said loudly behind me.

"Gkhy… What the heck do you want Karim?" I stood up to face him. Karim could be a little scary, especially when he figured my teasing of Mahaado had gone a little too far. Right now, he looked even scarier.

"The Pharaoh told me to keep an eye on you," he replied ominously. "Now, go do your duties!" He gave me a shove.

"Pervert!" Aishisu called after me as I left the garden.

"Stupid Karim, stupid rules," I muttered.

Teanna POV

I seized Atemu's hand and ran for it. We pushed past people and kept going until I was sure the people who had seen us were long gone.

We gasped for breath. "You could have been a bit more discreet, dear," I said, "You practically proclaimed your job to the entire kingdom!"

"I'm sorry, _shari_, I get really worked up when people question my ability… and it wasn't that bad. There's a bunch of wacky people around here, anyway."

"You have to be more careful," I panted a bit more, "It's not like when we were little. Back then, one of our nannies could just cover for us. Now, if we're caught...It could mean everything."

"I'm sorry," I said, "I get all worked up when people question my behavior when it isn't that good in reality."

"That's okay," I said, "I just hope none of those people recognized us."

Atemu then took me in his arms and put his face in my hair. "No, I-I'm sorry. I don't want to lose… lose you or anything else." I felt a tear drop from his cheek onto mine.

"D-don't cry," I said, almost begging, "We… we were here to have fun and be together. Not think about work again."

"Aye!" He said, "You're right, my very smart wife!" He stopped crying and swept me up into his arms bride-style. "Let's go, enjoy ourselves!"

"Okay!" I replied, then paused, "But first, let's get back in disguise," I said, pulling the hood of the cloak back over his head. I leaned in and kissed him in the hood. It felt so good it was as if we were the only ones in the world in that quiet ally wrapped in our cloaks.

Maadrath POV

I leaned over, sipping my cup of wine. Beneseth was still staring at me.

Then I stared at him.

He looked away.

He looked at me.

I looked at him.

He looked away.

We kept this up for the next fifteen minutes. Finally I blurted out, "What's your problem, Beneseth!"

"N-nothing…." he started in his usual way. Then he stopped. "Oh… Set take it Maadrath! I'm sorry if I am being blunt but I'm tired of beating this thing around the bush for the millionth time! I… I love you Maadrath!"

Wow, he had never just gone and said straight to me. I started to trust him at that moment.

"I'm madly, insanely in love with you! I want you so badly!" he paused to take a breath. "I'm really sorry, I just didn't know how to tell you that. I thought if I brought you here, everything would take care of itself but it was no better than our situation back at Kuru Eruna. Go ahead, beat me over the head and tell me I'm a kid. I promise never to bother you again."

"Beneseth… I…" I muttered. No one had ever been so honest to me before. Beneseth's polite 'beating around the bush' had always seemed to me far too similar to other men trying to sweet talk me into bed with them. Now, though, he had broken all bounds of politeness just trying to get his feelings over to me. I leaned over the small table and hugged him. "I've always loved you too."

The next thing I knew, Beneseth was crying over my shoulder and I was comforting him. Then, I let him pay for my meal.

Later that evening, Beneseth and I found a quiet spot to watch the sunset. When the moon rose, I placed my head on Beneseth's shoulder. He put his arms around me. I think before that moment, I never realized how beautiful he was. He was not always angry and crude like Nahkti was and I think I felt that he really did love me, not just for my body. I had never gotten this close to a man before since my childhood and it felt a bit foreign and familiar at the same time. Beneseth ran his fingers down my spine and I shuddered. I felt out of control and I didn't like that very much.

"Maadrath, are you okay?" he asked. "I'll stop if you want me to."

"No, Beneseth," I flashed my sexiest smile, "Take me away."

When we arrived at Kuru Eruna the next day, I felt as though I had never felt so good before. To finally trust someone and to be free of myself.

"So, Beneseth," Nahkti winked, "Did you get your lady?"

Beneseth blushed and quickly covered his face.

"Shaadup, Nahkti!" I yelled but I smiled afterwards. "Beneseth did get his lady, didn't he?" I grinned at Beneseth. "Why don't you show Nahkti what we learned last night hn?" I tapped my lip.

Beneseth blushed like crazy.

I groaned, "C'mon! Act like a man! I don't want a husband who I have to baby around!"

Beneseth sweat dropped and then cupped my chin in his hand but he hesitated.

"Don't worry, sweetheart," I said, "I won't bite… at least, not too hard."

Beneseth turned bright red but he pressed his lips against mine. The night before, that first time flooded back for a moment at the taste of him. Beneseth quickly drew away and stared embarrassedly at Nahkti.

"Not bad, Beneseth," Nahkti said. "But… you will share… won't you?"

"You perv!" I shouted as we bother bonked him in the head. Beneseth laughed lightly.


	13. Scrolls of Anubis part 1

Tale 12. Scrolls of Anubis: part I

"Get more beer over here now!" Horesus shouted.

Crash! A bowl smashed on the floor scattering beef bones everywhere.

"More meat! Get more meat!" I ordered.

"Nahkti! I need more drink!"

"More water over here!"

"Buy a drink for me?"

"Maadrath, why are you still flirting with random men? We're married!"

"Because I can rip money off weak minded fools."

"Nahkti! This is the most boisterous wedding I've ever seen!" Karia exclaimed.

"Yrv brn trrr ohurs (you've been to others) ?" I asked, my mouth full of meat.

After Beneseth and Maadrath had declared their love for each other. I decided it was only proper to have a celebration afterwards. We went to the tavern where I had first met Maadrath and splurged like we were madmen.

"A toast to Maadrath and Beneseth! To the queen and the captain!" I shouted and the other thieves raised their mugs in reply!

"I'm the king of thieves and I can steal anything!" I randomly declared, half drunk.

"Yeah?" Asked some random other guy who was drunk as well, "Bet you couldn't steal the scrolls of Anubis!"

"Whatever the heck!" I stumbled around and fell over.

Just then, the tavern owner recognized Maadrath. "Hey! You, aren't you that dancing girl who attacked that customer?"

"Uh, oh," said Maadrath. She shot out the door. The rest of us followed, close after.

"Man! What a crazy wedding!" Maadrath said, when she woke up the next morning. She gave Beneseth a quick kiss and walked over to me. "So, what's up? You've been thinking haven't you?"

"Yeah, about those scrolls.'

"What scrolls?"

"The scrolls of Anubis. The ones that guy at the tavern dared me to steal."

"Oh, those scrolls. Forget them. You two were drunk anyway. Besides, I'm not even sure such things exist."

"But if they did! Ahh! That would give me a lot of power. Maybe enough to defeat everyone in my way!"

"Nahkti, are you sure it's smart to be chasing phantoms again?"

"Are you questioning my judgment again, Maadrath?"

"Whatever, Nahkti."

I stared at Maadath's back. She didn't argue with me. She had been a bit more laid back since she had married Beneseth. I wasn't sure whether to be thankful or jealous of him. I was glad Maadrath didn't get so mad at me so often (although I wasn't sure how long that was going to last), but honestly, I'd always wanted Maadrath for myself but she seemed like unreachable goal so I didn't think too much about it. I didn't think anyone else would ever reach her either, though. Now, Beneseth had. What did he have that I didn't? Okay… so he was nice, and talented (but I was talented too!), and considerate, and had never slept with another woman… or boy… or cow… or stone pillar (LOL my sister and I were RPing and Nahkti went crazy and started doing the thing to everything and then Monkey D. Luffy ate those things… and then Nahkti learned the pain of trying to do it to a stone pillar…). Sigh… maybe I should just give up. Maadrath never did like me much anyway. In fact, she almost looked down on me. Urrrggg! Devour take Maadrath and eat her soul! Man! Sheesh!

A few day later I gained some information that Karia and Sashi had gleaned I started to form a plan to steal the Scrolls.

"Okay!" I said to the gang, holding the notes that Sashi had written, "We are going to look for the Scrolls of Anubis. They are in the so-and-so temple of Anubis in the so-and-so place in the desert."

"… the so-and-so?" Beneseth asked skeptically.

"Okay! Okay! So it's not the so-and-so but I can't pronounce it! (or the author was too lazy to think of a name O.o)"

Sashi slapped his forehead. "Can you even read, leader?"

"I… I…" I had never been to school… "I can too, fool!"

"Whatever you say."

"After some more planning. We are going there. Rumor has it that it is guarded by a fierce priestess who has control of some pretty strong magic… but we can take anything they've got to throw at us, right!" I shouted

"Yeah!" they all shouted back at me. We were ready.

A couple days later, we packed some supplies on camels and got ready to go.

"Nahkti-sama, is the temple far?" Ryoo asked.

"Yes… I think so… it's…"

"You don't know do you?" Sashi asked, "Well… it's gives extremely specific distance"

"Huuuuuhhhhh?" All of the other thieves asked.

"Ghn… never mind it…" Sashi replied.

The first two days passed well. There was no trouble and we made good time.

On the third day, though, we had our first encounter with the magic. We were walking along, when suddenly, there was a sandstorm. This was no ordinary sandstorm, because out of the cloud of tawny dust, came jackals with glowing red eyes. Their bodies were completely made of sand.

"Go back!" Came a voice out of the cloud. "You will not have the powers!"

"Feh… that priestess…" I muttered. "I am on a mission of vengeance and nothing will stand in my way," I smirked.

"What do you want us to do?" Karia asked me.

The cloud died down, leaving only the fiendish jackals. They gave insane, inhuman laughs.

"We can get through this, Karia," I said. Then I grinned. "A battle, is that what you want, priestess?" I shouted at the sky where the sand-cloud had been before. "Then let's see what you've got! Those insubstantial dogs don't look very tough."

I punched one of the sand jackals. It yelped and backed away, a fist-shaped dent in it, but when I pulled my fist up to my face, I saw that it was bleeding. I realized then that the jackals bodies were made up of quickly moving sand that had instantly worn away at my fist. The jackal that I had punched was now howling and smiling at me.

The sand stirred a bit around me. "Still think you're a match for me," the feminine voice whispered, "thief?"

I licked the blood off of my fist, ignoring the sand grinding at my teeth. "Even more so…" I whispered back.

All of my thieves gave a battle cry and we rushed at the jackals.

3rd person POV

Maarath drew her dagger and slashed at one of the jackals. The wound hardly did anything to the sand-sprite which regenerated itself from the sand around it.

"What should we do?" Ryoo asked Karia.

"I don't know," she replied, "But they're dogs right?" Karia pulled off a bracelet. "Here doggy, here doggy!" She said and threw the bracelet. "Fetch!"

The jackal sat down and stared quizzically at her. Then it bared his fangs and attacked. Ryoo slammed it with his body to try and protect Karia. He stepped back, his shirt ripped and angry red marks on his left side and arm. The dog tried to attack him again but Karia got in the way. She screamed as the sand-jackal sunk his teeth into her arm and began to take the moister out of it.

"Karia-chan!" Maadrath shouted. She dodged a sand jackal. "Karia!" another went for her but Beneseth blocked it.

"Go help Karia!" he said, "I hold them off of you for now!"

"Thank you!" Maadrath yelled as she headed towards Karia with a skin of water. She knocked the jackal off of Karia, the strips of cloth tied to Maadrath's arm tore into shreds and were gone. Maadrath poured water on Karia's semi-dehydrated arm. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I think so," Karia replied, "But I don't think I can fight anymore."

Just then another leapt at Maadrath. She punched it. Surprisingly, her fist wasn't hurt.

"Huh?" She looked at her hand. It had been covered in water when she was helping Karia. That was it! The water made the sand solid just long enough to punch a sand-jackal. She poured the rest of the water in the skin on the jackal, eliminating it.

"What are you doing Maadrath?" Beneseth asked, dropping his spear which had been worn away by the sand.

"Everyone! I think I know how to beat them! I was helping Karia and got water on my hand. If you put water on these things, it kills them!"

The thieves set about trying to put water on all of the jackals but as soon as they were destroyed, more formed themselves out of the sand.

Nahkti Normal POV

"Darn it! We're going to run out of water!" Beneseth said, "There's got to be a better way!"

I punched another one, drying up the last bit of water on my fist. I swore under my breath, but Beneseth was right, if you used up any more water, we'd have none to drink during our traveling.

In the background Ryoo gave a little cry as a jackal knocked him over. Vicious priestess, always going for the weakest ones. First Karia and now him. I walked over and booted the thing off of Ryoo. His shirt was completely torn up and he was bleeding.

I pulled him up off of the ground. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah! I won't die!" He said. I put him down next to Karia. I mumbled random profanities.

We went back to fighting the old way and it took it's toll. Water was precious, though and we would certainly have died without it. Finally, when we thought we'd certainly loose the battle, the jackals all dissipated. I dropped to one knee.

"Had enough?" the voice asked.

"Set take you, shut up!" I yelled.

"Well, I have. All this playing has made me tired. I'm going to take a nap. But you will certainly not obtain the scrolls."

I sighed. We set up camp there.

After a couple more days, we were all tired. While we set up camp, I watched Maadrath and Beneseth. I was jealous. Why couldn't it be me?

When we went to bed, I saw Maadrath lean over him and kiss him as she pulled the blanket over them. I wanted that. I wanted Maadrath to want me. But how could I get them apart? And was that really fair to Beneseth?

Egyptian nights were cold and tonight was especially. Ryoo and I huddled under my red cloak. I pulled his shivering, injured body closer to my warmer, stronger one.

"Na-Nahkti-sama," I heard him whisper through chattering teeth and tears, "I… I want to go home. I'm tired of this. Please…"

"Shh… Shh… don't cry," I comforted him. "We will be at the temple soon. When I have the scrolls, everything will be okay."

His whimpering quieted a little. "Nahkti-sama."

"Aye, Ryoo-chan?"

"When we get the scrolls and defeat the Pharaoh, will you hurt Yugi-kun?"

"Nay, nay, Ryoo. I will definitely not hurt Yugi. I will take him with us and you may have him and anyone else you want as your friend. Besides, I owe Yugi a little something…" I thought about the time he had been kind to me when I had been captured.

"Bah," I said to Ryoo, "don't think too much about it."

Ryoo and I talked deep into the night until finally sleep overtook us.

"Oi! Sleepy heads, get up!" Maadrath said, kicking me in the ribs."

"Stop it!" I muttered, getting up. "Sheesh, what a rude awakening!" I shook Ryoo to get him up. Ryoo moaned a bit and sat up. After a light breakfast, we were off again. Everyone was gloomy. The prospects looked dim but I was determined to get those scrolls. If we could, I would have an advantage over the Pharaoh.

Finally, we reached the temple. It looked odd just sitting there in the middle of the desert. Beautiful and luxurious in a barren wasteland. I smiled. The trip had been worth it.

"So, you survived my sand-jackals?" The priestess voice said. It was louder this time. Now, let's see if this'll deter you."

Suddenly, a hole opened up in the ground near me. Beneseth fell in one.  
"Beneseth!" Maadrath screamed. Despite my anger at the priestess for taking my second-in-command, I smirked. Maybe now I could get Maadrath to like me.

Then another hole opened up under me. I shouted and jumped out of the way just in time, but Ryoo wasn't quick enough. "Ryoo-chan!" I gritted my teeth, "Ra curse you, you she-wolf!" I growled. "What have you done with them."

"Why should I tell you, eta?" She asked. "Turn back and I will return your companions safe and sound. Enter, and face the consequences."

"I choose to enter," I said, pushing open the door. "Beneseth is strong, and even Ryoo is stronger than he may appear."

We walked down a beautiful hall and got to a large room. In the center was a fountain.

"Water!" exclaimed Karia, "Lots of it!" she went over and drank some, and then dipped her am in it.

"That's good, I said," sitting down. Suddenly, someone slapped me. I looked up. "What! Maadrath!"

"You are a jerk!"

"What the heck! Maadrath, what are you talking about!"

"Why didn't you save him! And now, stopping for a nice drink? What's wrong with you?"

"Who!" I punched her. What was with Maadrath?

"Beneseth! He was right next you to you! You could have just grabbed him! And then… you smiled." She started crying.

Smiled… had I really? But… Maadrath should have been mine. I was the leader…not that inexperienced pup. "Shut up! I have no idea what you're talking about." I want you.

She growled. "Well, let's get moving at least. You are worried about Ryoo. I know that much, at least."

Just then, a trap door opened right under Maadrath and me.

"What's going on?"

"Now, you are alone." Said the Priestess's voice. We were in another room. With two doors.

"What do you want now?"

"You know very well what I want. I want you to leave but you are oh-so-very persistent. One door leads to your companions. The other leads to the scrolls. Chose."

Ryoo… darn it! I had to get the scrolls. Once I had them, any damage could be fixed. "Let's go get the scrolls!" I said.

"Don't you care about Ryoo and Beneseth? We have to save them first, we may not get another chance!"

"Forget about those two pretty-boys, if we get the scrolls then we can save them. But we might loose the scrolls if we don't get them now!"

"What's gotten into you? You've acted weird ever since I married Beneseth!"

"That's just it!"

"What is?… you're not jealous… are you?"

"Ra curse it! What if I am?" I pinned her against the wall with by her right arm. "Maadrath, do you know what it did to me when you devoted yourself to him! I wanted you! And I always thought it'd be me or no man! But now, Beneseth's not here to save you! I'll take you now when I can."

Maadrath POV

I reached for my dagger with my left hand but Nahkti caught it before I could.

"Nahkti! Control yourself!" I said. But he held me down with sheer weight. If I had been prepared I could escape but in muscle, Nahkti had the advantage.

"I… I want you."

"Stop it!"

He crushed his lips against mine. But he was not in love with me. He had never loved me that way. It was only lust. I was disgusted.

"Get off of me!" I screamed into his mouth.

"Do you know… Do you know that when I first met you, how much I wanted you. I respected you, but I wanted you too."

I was angry. I felt violated like the day that those men tried to force themselves on me. I understood, that men had a problem, especially Nahkti. They wanted me but I would never let one get close to me. Until Beneseth. Nahkti had had many women (and it didn't even just stop there). I was beautiful but now I belonged to someone. And I wasn't Nahkti's to use. I couldn't stop him though. I had to reason with him.

"Nahkti… stop, I know that you are the leader but I truly love Beneseth. You don't love me."

"But I want you! Isn't that the same thing? How come I'm not good enough for you?"

"Nahkti, you've known love. Don't you remember? Little Lotus? Do you remember the way you felt about her. You said it was different. Different than the way you felt about me. Different from the way you felt about any other woman. That's how Beneseth feels about me and that's also how I feel about him. Will you deny us that? Will you defile our paradise?"

Nahkti sat up.

Nahkti Normal POV

I covered my face. Why did she have to bring her up? Why? Because, she was the way into my heart. I never realized that Beneseth had loved her in that way. I mean, I knew but it had never understood. I thought that he "loved" her the way all other men felt towards Maadrath. I stood up.

"I… I'm sorry. I didn't realize you two loved each other that way." I would have killed anyone who had tried to even kiss Little Lotus. I loved her in every way possible, like a friend, like a lover, like anything you could think of. If that was the way Maadrath felt about Beneseth, what sort of friend would get between them.

Maadrath put a hand on my shoulder. "You are the leader," she said, "I respect that. That is why I followed you and did not kill you. I saw that fire and determination in your eyes. Your desire for a place where no one would be killed again. You wanted to let the souls of the people of Kuru Eruna rest. You are one of the most amazing people I have ever met… but… Beneseth, I loved, loved with all my heart hand he with his. But to show my respect for you. You, choose the door."

Maadrath was right. Our friends were the most important. Where would we be now without our loyalty to each other? "Let's go save Ryoo and Beneseth."


	14. Notes about Scrolls of Anubis

Meh… forget it… I'm going to get rid of the scrolls of anubis… the more I write, the more Nahkti makes friendship speaches and ThiefBaku and friendship speaches do not go together. Friendship speaches are Yami and Anzu's job. So I'll have to think of something else. I just wanted to make a story like everyone else. I wanted yami bakura to actually steal something for once but I guess I'm just not normal. Besides, the whole point of my fic ws to be different from other people. To have original charactors but not to make them stupid and even to have original charctor romances. I should stop copying and just write my way from now on. If you really want the rest of it, email me.

Nahkti: bleh… freidship speaches. I'm no wussy Pharaoh.

Yugi: He's not wussy!

Nahkti&Ryou: What are you doing here!

Yugi: The author wanted to make another adventure involvin Yugi and Ryoo

Ryou: Sounds fun

Nahkti: You people are bad infulences on Ryoo

Yugi: Honey?

Ryou: Yum

So, yeah… me and my sister will be working on some sort of chapter… yeah… but I hope I can insert the funny wedding scene:

"Get more beer over here now!" Horesus shouted.

Crash! A bowl smashed on the floor scattering beef bones everywhere.

"More meat! Get more meat!" I ordered.

"Nahkti! I need more drink!"

"More water over here!"

"Buy a drink for me?"

"Maadrath, why are you still flirting with random men? We're married!"

"Because I can rip money off weak minded fools."

"Nahkti! This is the most boisterous wedding I've ever seen!" Karia exclaimed.

"Yrv brn trrr ohurs (you've been to others) ?" I asked, my mouth full of meat.

After Beneseth and Maadrath had declared their love for each other. I decided it was only proper to have a celebration afterwards. We went to the tavern where I had first met Maadrath and splurged like we were madmen.

"A toast to Maadrath and Beneseth! To the queen and the captain!" I shouted and the other thieves raised their mugs in reply!

Into it. Oh well…


End file.
